Severe Drought Crisis in Southern Africa: Impacts and Urgent Response Needs

Southern Africa is enduring one of the most severe droughts in 40 years due to the 2023/2024 El Niño event, leading to extensive food insecurity affecting nearly 23 million individuals, particularly in Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. The crisis has resulted in significant public health challenges, including malnutrition in over 2 million children, exacerbated disease outbreaks, and internal displacements. Coordinated humanitarian responses are urgently required to address these challenges and protect vulnerable populations.

The southern African region is currently experiencing one of the most severe drought conditions in four decades, attributed to the 2023/2024 El Niño phenomenon. The drought has manifested through a late arrival of rains, prolonged dry periods in the middle of the season, and extreme temperature surges. These climatic disruptions have had devastating impacts on agricultural production, leading to dramatic declines in maize harvests—well below the five-year averages as reported by national governments and FEWS NET estimates. Nearly 23 million individuals in the region are now facing high levels of food insecurity, with Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique being the most adversely affected nations. It is anticipated that during the lean season from October to December 2024, between 14.0 and 14.9 million individuals will require urgent humanitarian intervention. Consequently, a national drought disaster has been declared in six countries: Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, while Angola and Mozambique are also witnessing severe food insecurity affecting approximately 1.8 million and 3.3 million people, respectively. In addition to food shortages, the drought has precipitated significant public health crises. An estimated 2 million children are acutely malnourished, with over 500,000 suffering from severe wasting. The compounded effects of drought have resulted in the displacement of thousands, outbreaks of diseases, and drastic impacts on agricultural productivity. Communities are grappling with residual epidemics of cholera and measles, complicated further by water shortages which undermine hygiene practices and augment the risk of cholera resurgence in Malawi and Mozambique. Moreover, the drought’s aftermath is expected to exacerbate the transmission of HIV and AIDS, alongside amplifying gender-based violence and mental health challenges. The continuing repercussions from the current humanitarian crisis, entangled with the nuances of climate change and conflict, have significantly strained health systems across the region, undermining access to vital sexual and reproductive health services. Approximately one million people have been internally displaced, predominantly from Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, adding another layer to the complex humanitarian situation. This crisis necessitates an urgent and coordinated response to mitigate the dire impacts of the drought, protect vulnerable populations, and bolster health systems to tackle both immediate and long-term health implications.

The current drought situation in southern Africa has been severely exacerbated by the ongoing 2023/2024 El Niño event, marking one of the most pronounced climatic disturbances recorded in the region in 40 years. With historically low rainfall and unyielding temperatures, agricultural outputs have plummeted, thereby creating extensive challenges across the affected nations. This situation is compounded by existing vulnerabilities such as ongoing disease outbreaks, food insecurity, and internal displacement due to both climatic and socio-political factors. Health systems that were already strained are now witnessing greater pressure as humanitarian needs surge amid worsening climate conditions and the fallout from concurrent health emergencies.

In summary, the drought impacting southern Africa due to the El Niño phenomenon marks a significant humanitarian crisis, with wide-ranging implications for food security and public health. An urgent strategic response is essential to address the immediate and long-lasting effects of this crisis, particularly focusing on vulnerable populations facing malnutrition and health risks. Collaborative efforts are crucial to restore stability and resilience in the affected communities, ensuring that basic human needs are met while enhancing adaptive capacities against future climatic adversities.

Original Source: reliefweb.int