Months of drought across southern Africa, driven by the El Niño weather phenomenon, have left more than 27 million people facing severe hardship and triggered the region’s worst hunger crisis in decades, according to the United Nations’ World Food Program (WFP).
The WFP warned that the situation could escalate into a “full-scale human catastrophe.”
Five countries—Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe—have declared national disasters due to the drought and widespread hunger. The WFP estimates that approximately 21 million children in the region are now malnourished as crop failures devastate livelihoods.
The majority of the population in southern Africa relies on small-scale, rain-fed agriculture for food and income. Aid agencies had raised alarms late last year about the potential disaster as El Niño caused below-average rainfall across the region, a situation worsened by climate change-induced warming temperatures.
“This is the worst food crisis in decades,” said WFP spokesperson Tomson Phiri. “October marks the beginning of the lean season in southern Africa, and each month is expected to worsen until the harvests in March and April next year. Crops have failed, livestock are dying, and children are fortunate to receive even one meal a day.”
The five countries that have declared drought-related disasters have appealed for international aid. Angola and Mozambique have also been severely affected by the drought, highlighting the vast reach of the crisis across the region.
“The situation is dire,” Phiri added. The WFP estimates that $369 million is needed to provide immediate assistance, but only a fifth of that amount has been received due to a shortfall in donations. In response, the WFP has begun providing food assistance and critical support at the request of regional governments.
Phiri noted that southern Africa’s crisis comes at a time when global humanitarian needs are soaring, with urgent aid also needed in Gaza, Sudan, and other regions.
The drought in southern Africa has been particularly harsh, with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) stating in June that it was the most severe drought in 100 years during the January to March agricultural season, wiping out crops and worsening food insecurity for millions.
El Niño, a natural weather event that warms parts of the central Pacific, has different effects on weather patterns around the world. The latest El Niño, which developed in mid-2023 and ended in June, was blamed—along with climate change and overall ocean warming—for a year of extreme weather and heat waves globally.
In southern Africa, the drought has also caused food prices to skyrocket, increasing the suffering. Additionally, the drought has severely impacted Zambia’s electricity supply, leading to frequent blackouts. Zambia relies heavily on hydroelectric power from the Kariba Dam, which has seen water levels drop so low that it can barely generate power. Zimbabwe, which shares the dam, is also experiencing power outages.
In Namibia and Zimbabwe, authorities have resorted to culling wildlife, including elephants, to provide meat for starving communities.
Scientists warn that sub-Saharan Africa is one of the world’s most vulnerable regions to climate change due to its heavy reliance on rain-fed agriculture and natural resources. Millions of livelihoods are at risk, and poorer nations struggle to afford climate-resilience measures.