The Zimbabwean government has stated that about 2.7 million people will go hungry this year in the country as heavy drought causes crops to wither affecting agricultural output.
According to Reuters residents of Buhera, a village in Zimbabwe could be seen standing in groups waiting for their names to be called so they could receive life-saving handouts of grains, peas, and cooking oil.
- “We are grateful, but the food will only be enough for one month,” said Mushaikwa, 71, who lives with her elderly husband, as she trudged away with her bag of grain. “My crops are wilted.” She said.
Zimbabwe has struggled to feed itself since 2000 when former President Robert Mugabe disrupted agricultural production and output by seizing white-owned farms leaving many Zimbabweans dependent on food aid for survival.
The food crisis in Zimbabwe is heavily caused by a special type of drought known as the El Nino drought which has hit many southern African nations.
The government estimate for the number of people heavily affected by the drought is over 2.7 million and the real number could even be higher.
The government speaking to Reuters revealed that it is currently considering declaring a state of emergency in the nation.
- “When you drive around, you will see that many crops have wilted,” said World Food Programme (WFP) acting country director Christine Mendes in Buhera, about 220 km (140 miles) southeast of the capital, Harare.
Maize, Zimbabwe’s main staple harvest is expected to reduce by half to 1.1 million tonnes this year.
The WFP has helped over 270,000 people in four drought-prone districts between January and March but will need additional funds to feed more according to the WFP country director Christine Mendes.
What to Know
- El Nino drought is a naturally occurring weather phenomenon associated with a disruption of wind patterns that means warmer ocean surface temperatures in the eastern and central Pacific.
- El Nino drought occurs on average every two to seven years, typically lasts nine to 12 months, and can provoke extreme weather such as tropical cyclones, prolonged drought, and subsequent wildfires.
- In 2023, the African Development Bank developed financial instruments to pay $3.5 billion in compensation to white farmers whose land was taken from them by Zimbabwe’s government.
