More than 30 Million Need Urgent Food Aid in Southern Africa
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More than 30 million people in southern Africa will need significant food aid through the upcoming lean season, according to a new report from FEWS Net. This represents an increase of 50 percent from the 2023-2024 lean season. Conflict and extreme weather are the major drivers of the region’s growing humanitarian needs.
The El Niño-driven drought experienced by much of southern Africa in 2023-2024 resulted in below-average harvests, particularly for the region’s key maize suppliers. South Africa saw maize harvests 10 percent lower than the five-year average, while Zimbabwe saw harvests 60 percent lower. Shrinking regional supplies are also driving up food prices—in some cases significantly. In Malawi and Zimbabwe, maize prices in many markets are 130-150 percent higher than their seasonal averages.
At least 3 million additional tons of maize imports will be needed to make up for these regional shortfalls, FEWS Net reports.
As a result of the reduced harvests and subsequent price spikes, many households throughout the region have consumed their existing stock of maize and other staple foods. FEWS Net reports that these households have been increasingly turning to negative coping mechanisms, such as reducing the number of meals consumed. Of particular concern are poor populations in Zimbabwe, southern Malawi, southern and central Mozambique, southern Angola, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In several of these areas, widespread IPC Phase 3 (Crisis) food insecurity already exists and will likely persist until at least the start of the 2024-2025 harvest season in March. Pockets of IPC Phase 4 (Emergency) food insecurity may also begin to spring up in the absence of increased humanitarian aid.
Further exacerbating the increasing food insecurity in the region are ongoing conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mozambique. Persistent fighting has disrupted livelihoods, reduced agricultural production, and displaced populations, with negative impacts both domestically and for surrounding countries.
FEWS Net has called for governments, donor organizations, and humanitarian partners to mobilize resources and funding quickly in order to address the region’s growing food security crisis.
Sara Gustafson is a freelance communications consultant.