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Zimbabwe declared a state of disaster Wednesday over a devastating drought that’s sweeping across much of southern Africa. Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa said the nation needs USD 2 billion for humanitarian assistance.
Due to the El Nino-induced drought, more than 80% of Zimbabwe received below-normal rainfall. The country’s top priority is securing food for all Zimbabweans. No Zimbabwean must succumb to, or die from hunger, stated the President. Humans aren’t the only ones affected, with conservation officials in Zimbabwe reporting the rare occurrence of at least 100 elephants dying in a national park late last year because of waterholes drying up in the drought. Before the national disaster announcements by Malawi and Zambia, the WFP and USAID had already launched a program to feed 2.7 million people in rural Zimbabwe facing food shortages – nearly 20 per cent of that country’s population. The 2015-2016 El Nino also brought a severe drought for southern Africa, the region’s worst in 35 years, according to the UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs.
Mnangagwa appealed to United Nations agencies, local businesses, and faith organizations. Similar actions were taken by the governments of neighbouring Zambia and Malawi.
El Nino, a naturally occurring climatic phenomenon that warms parts of the Pacific Ocean every two to seven years, has varied effects on the world’s weather. In southern Africa, it typically causes below-average rainfall, but this year has seen the worst drought in decades.
More than 60% of Zimbabwe’s 15 million people live in rural areas, growing the food they eat, and sometimes small surpluses that can be sold to cover expenses such as school fees. With relatively little participation in the cash economy, many of those won’t be able to buy food even when it’s available in markets. The United Nations World Food Program has already rolled out a food assistance program targeting 2.7 million Zimbabweans, nearly 20 percent of the country’s population, from January to March.
Once a regional agricultural powerhouse and grain exporter, has in recent years relied more and more on aid agencies to avert mass hunger due to extreme weather conditions such as heat waves and floods. Zimbabwe expects 868 273 metric tonnes from this season’s harvest. Hence, the nation faces a food cereal deficit of nearly 680 000 metric tonnes of grain. This deficit will be bridged by imports.
The declaration was widely expected following similar actions by neighboring Zambia and Malawi, where drought linked to the El Nino weather phenomenon has scorched crops, leaving millions of people in need of food assistance.
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https://trendsnafrica.com/malawi-declares-a-state-of-disaster-consequent-to-unprecedented-drought/
In southern Africa, Zimbabwe is the third country to declare drought a national disaster after Malawi and Zambia. The measure allows for more resources to address the crisis. The drought has also affected electricity production, as Zimbabwe is highly reliant on hydroelectric power.
