The 2023/2024 El Niño event has triggered the worst drought Southern Africa has witnessed in 40 years, leading to severe food shortages and a public health crisis affecting nearly 23 million individuals, particularly in Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. The drought has exhausted food supplies and exacerbated preexisting health emergencies, causing significant malnutrition rates among children and heightening risks associated with HIV transmission and gender-based violence.
The El Niño phenomenon of 2023/2024 has resulted in unprecedented drought conditions across Southern Africa, marking a significant climatic event with severe consequences for the region. This current El Niño episode is regarded as the most severe in the past four decades, exacerbating already precarious situations faced by numerous communities that had previously endured failed agricultural yields and challenging economic circumstances. The drought has precipitated a range of catastrophic impacts, including significant food shortages, restricted access to safe drinking water, disease outbreaks, and the loss of livestock across affected areas. National agricultural assessments reveal that maize harvests in the region have plummeted to well below five-year averages due to this historic drought, compelling local populations to exhaust their already limited food stockpiles with months to wait before the next sowing season in April 2025. Presently, nearly 23 million individuals are grappling with acute food insecurity, with the most severe impacts reported in Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. Forecasts suggest that between 14.0 and 14.9 million people will require urgent humanitarian assistance through the lean season spanning from October to December 2024. Six countries in the region have officially declared national drought disasters: Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Both Angola and Mozambique are also experiencing severe distress, with estimates indicating that approximately 1.8 million people in Angola and 3.3 million in Mozambique are facing food insecurity. Furthermore, it is projected that over 2 million children within these affected areas will experience acute malnutrition, including more than 500,000 suffering from severe wasting. The compounded effects of the drought, which occur against a backdrop of preexisting health emergencies including cholera and measles outbreaks, have escalated the public health crisis in the region. Water shortages threaten hygiene practices, thus perpetuating the risk for further cholera outbreaks, particularly in Malawi and Mozambique. Moreover, the existing health systems have been disrupted by the combination of El Niño effects, cholera exacerbations, ongoing conflicts, and the overarching challenge of climate change, thus severely limiting access to vital sexual and reproductive health services. In addition to the direct impacts of the drought, the psychological and social ramifications include an increased risk of HIV transmission, mental health disorders, and heightened incidences of gender-based violence, which underline the critical need for improved response strategies and preparedness protocols. The ongoing drought has also resulted in the internal displacement of over one million individuals, particularly from Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, highlighting the urgent humanitarian needs permeating the region.
The article addresses the dire humanitarian crisis precipitated by the El Niño event in Southern Africa, specifically focusing on the extensive drought conditions that have emerged since 2023. El Niño is a climatic phenomenon that influences weather patterns globally, and its current occurrence has intensified the effects of pre-existing vulnerabilities in the region. Countries such as Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique are experiencing significant food insecurity, exacerbated by agricultural failures and adverse health outcomes. Public health systems, already strained due to previous epidemics and conflicts, are now further threatened by the emerging drought and its multifaceted challenges. Understanding these conditions is necessary for comprehending the urgent humanitarian needs and the required response measures.
In summary, the 2023/2024 El Niño event has ushered in catastrophic drought conditions that have deeply affected Southern Africa, notably impacting food security, public health, and social stability. The worst drought in 40 years has led to unprecedented levels of food insecurity, displacement, and health crises. The urgent need for humanitarian assistance is underscored by the severe malnutrition rates among children and the ongoing risk of disease outbreaks amidst strained health systems. Addressing these challenges requires immediate and coordinated response efforts among national and international stakeholders.
Original Source: reliefweb.int