Zambia is currently going through a climatic crisis, with President Hakainde Hichilema declaring the ongoing drought a national disaster. According to Hakainde, 84 of the 116 provinces have been affected, leaving respective residents with food and water shortages,
This comes as the Southern African nation suffer under the wrath of a cholera outbreak, killing over 400 Zambians and leaving more than 1,000 infected. Experts also linked the phenomena to climate change, including the El Nino rains experienced in the Southern African region. The long rains are also linked to the extended harsh weather conditions.
President Hakinde and his government prioritize providing food and access to clean water. When declaring the drought an emergency, he instructed security forces to focus on food production and distribution. He urged areas with surplus to contribute to the suffering population. This is considering that over 1 million hectares of farming land are affected.
President Hakainde said, “This drought is having devastating consequences on many sectors such as agriculture, water availability, and energy supply, jeopardizing our national food security and the livelihoods of millions of people.”
He also stated the government’s efforts to import food to curb the problem. This includes mobilizing international entities like the UN to offer aid.
With the energy sector also affected, Zambia can expect more adverse consequences from the dry climate. This calls for better mitigation measures against climate change. This includes setting up renewable energy plants like solar to solve the electricity issue. As a result, the country can produce food through solar-powered irrigation systems.
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