The Food and Agriculture Organization FAO issued a stark warning on Friday, highlighting the escalating risk to food security in southern Africa due to the El Niño weather phenomenon coupled with widespread drought. The report underscores the urgent need for coordinated action to address the looming crisis affecting countries such as Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
According to the FAO’s Crop Prospects and Food Situation report, major growing regions across southern Africa experienced only 80 percent of average rainfall during the critical mid-November-to-February summer period. This significant rainfall deficit, compounded by higher-than-usual temperatures and erratic precipitation patterns in February, has severely impacted crop yields, particularly maize—the staple food crop in the region.
In South Africa, the largest cereal producer in the region, insufficient rain and soaring temperatures during January and February are expected to result in a decrease in maize production compared to previous years. While the harvest is not projected to fall below the five-year average, the overall cereal production in the region is anticipated to decline, necessitating increased reliance on imports to meet food demands.
The FAO report also underscores the broader implications of the crisis, noting that reduced agricultural productivity may lead to a decline in rural incomes and potential price hikes due to supply constraints. Moreover, the depreciation of local currencies exacerbates the situation by further driving up the cost of living for vulnerable populations.
Zambia, one of the hardest-hit countries, officially declared a “national disaster” due to the devastating effects of the drought on agriculture. The dire situation in Zambia serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for immediate interventions to mitigate the impact of El Niño-induced droughts on food security and livelihoods.
El Niño, a cyclical weather phenomenon characterized by warming of the tropical Pacific Ocean, has reached its peak in December. However, its lingering effects are expected to persist until May, exacerbating above-normal temperatures and prolonging drought conditions across the region.
The World Meteorological Organization WMO recently identified the current El Niño event as one of the five strongest on record. Its far-reaching implications, compounded by the exacerbating effects of climate change, underscore the urgent need for concerted efforts to strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity in vulnerable regions.
As southern Africa grapples with the devastating impacts of El Niño-induced droughts, coordinated action at the national, regional, and international levels is imperative to safeguard food security, protect livelihoods, and build resilience against future climate-related shocks. The FAO’s report serves as a crucial call to action, emphasizing the urgency of addressing the intersecting challenges of climate change, food insecurity, and sustainable development in the region.