The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is grappling with a severe funding shortfall as it attempts to alleviate the devastating impacts of a prolonged drought in Southern Africa. The organization has managed to raise only a fraction – one-fifth – of the required $400 million to support seven nations in the region.
Thomson Phiri, a WFP spokesperson, attributed the funding challenges to the escalating food crisis caused by the worst drought in decades. The crisis has compelled Zambia, Malawi, and Zimbabwe to declare states of disaster. This extreme weather event is a direct consequence of the El Niño climate phenomenon, which has disrupted weather patterns globally, leading to crop failures and widespread food insecurity.
Approximately 70% of the Southern African population, heavily reliant on rain-fed agriculture, has suffered catastrophic crop losses due to insufficient rainfall. The WFP aims to utilize the limited funds to provide food assistance to 5.9 million people out of a vulnerable population of 27 million until the next harvest in 2025. To address the immediate needs, the organization has initiated the procurement of white grain from Tanzania, South Africa, and Latin America.
Reena Ghelani, the UN’s climate crisis coordinator for the El Niño response, has issued an urgent call for action. She expressed deep concern over the rapidly increasing number of people facing hunger and warned of the potential for prolonged dry spells and frequent droughts in the region due to climate change.
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