On Friday, the World Food Program (WFP) revealed that over 27 million people in Southern Africa face food insecurity due to an El Niño-induced drought.
This severe drought is devastating crops and livelihoods across the region.
WFP’s Valerie Guarnieri, who recently visited Zimbabwe and Lesotho, reported that these two countries are among the hardest hit.
In Zimbabwe, 50% of the population is food insecure, while 34% in Lesotho face similar conditions.
Guarnieri highlighted that the lean season, typically from October to March, is starting early and is more severe than usual.
This situation is expected to worsen due to poor crop production and reduced food supply.
She also pointed out that around 21 million children in Southern Africa are stunted, with 3.5 million needing urgent nutrition services to prevent further malnutrition as the lean season progresses.
In response, WFP plans to provide emergency food and nutrition support to 5.9 million people in seven countries until March 2025.
However, the agency is struggling with significant funding shortfalls, having raised only 20% of the needed $400 million.
