The World Food Programme reports that a record five countries in southern Africa have declared a state of disaster. The United Nations agency says Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, Malawi, and Lesotho are all calling for international humanitarian support.
What's happening?
The World Food Programme is warning that shortfalls in funding are challenging its ability to help bring relief to several million people in southern Africa, who are facing the worst food crisis in decades. Nearly 21 million children in the region are malnourished.
Southern Africa has endured a prolonged dry spell that has shriveled and scorched crops, threatening the food security of millions of people. A strong El Niño helped drive the disastrous drought by shifting rainfall patterns during the region's normal growing season.
Our warming world exacerbates droughts by increasing their frequency, making them longer-lasting and more intense.
"Unless we receive additional resources, millions of people risk going through the worst lean season in decades without assistance," Tomson Phiri, spokesman for the World Food Programme (WFP), told a Geneva press briefing per Reuters. "Crops failed, livestock has perished and children are lucky to receive even one meal per day. The situation is dire, and the need for action has never been clearer."
Why is the food crisis in southern Africa important?
According to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Africa carries "an increasingly heavy burden" from our overheating planet and disproportionately high costs for dealing with crucial climate adaptation.
It is estimated that by the end of this decade, up to 118 million extremely poor people (those living on less than $1.90 per day) in Africa will be exposed to extreme weather events, including droughts, floods, and extreme heat.
What's being done about helping southern Africa?
The WFP has planned to provide food and money assistance to over 6.5 million people in southern Africa to help cover the period until their next harvest in March. A WMO report says investments in early warning systems and hydrometeorological infrastructure for rising high-impact hazardous weather events will help Africa develop climate resilience.
There is an urgent need to invest in new technology, such as that soon to be employed by a Spanish startup that will use cutting-edge computer technology to create more powerful models than ever before to predict flood risks. Strides are being made to implement artificial intelligence to generate public weather alerts for heatwaves and other impactful weather events.
It is essential to reduce the release of heat-trapping gases into our atmosphere, which are known to raise the risk of some of these high-impact extreme weather disasters. Moving away from dirty energy sources toward cleaner, reliable, renewable energy options will help. Supporting eco-friendly companies and climate causes can also help move us in the right direction.
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