Experience unprecedented food scarcity grips Southern Africa, marking its most severe drought-induced famine in over three decades.
Down in southern Africa, a hunger predicament virtually unseen for decades is on the horizon, as per UN statistics. Approximately 27 million individuals are impacted, as reported by the World Food Programme (WFP) based in Geneva.
The cause is an extraordinary drought affecting multiple nations. Crop outputs have plummeted and livestock populations have succumbed. Many, including children, are subsisting on a single meal daily. The forthcoming harvests are not anticipated until March and April, mentioned Tomson Phiri, WFP spokesperson for southern Africa.
Five nations have already acknowledged this food crisis as a national emergency and sought global assistance: Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The situation remains perilous in Angola and Mozambique, added Phiri.
The WFP has begun securing and distributing provisions with the goal of aiding 6.5 million people by March. However, they have only collected a fifth of the required funds, equating to $369 million (approximately €339 million).
The 'famine crisis' in southern Africa is threatening the lives of millions, as confirmed by Tomson Phiri, WFP spokesperson. Five countries have declared this food scarcity a national emergency, and Angola and Mozambique are also experiencing severe challenges.
