The 2023/2024 El Niño has caused unprecedented drought conditions in Southern Africa, affecting approximately 23 million people, leading to severe food shortages, water scarcity, and health crises. The situation demands urgent humanitarian assistance, particularly in Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique, where over 2 million children are projected to be acutely malnourished. The health systems in the region are under significant strain, necessitating enhanced preparedness and coordinated response efforts.
The 2023/2024 El Niño phenomenon has precipitated severe drought conditions across Southern Africa, resulting in a devastating impact on local communities already beset by economic adversities and failed agricultural outputs. This event marks the most severe El Niño occurrence in the past four decades, characterized by delayed rainfalls, prolonged mid-season dryness, and extreme temperatures. The repercussions are dire, leading to significant drought, acute food shortages, compromised clean water access, disease outbreaks, and notable livestock losses. The historic drought has caused dramatic reductions in maize harvests across the region, with production levels falling well below the five-year average. This crisis has left affected populations with depleted food reserves and many months to endure before the next harvest is anticipated in April 2025. Approximately 23 million individuals are currently facing critical food insecurity, particularly in Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique, where support is urgently required. It is estimated that between 14.0 and 14.9 million people will necessitate immediate humanitarian assistance during the critical lean season, spanning from October to December 2024. The drought has prompted national disaster declarations in six nations: Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, while Angola and Mozambique are also experiencing severe impacts, with approximately 1.8 million people in Angola and 3.3 million in Mozambique deemed food insecure. There is a grave concern regarding child malnutrition, with projections indicating that over 2 million children will experience acute malnourishment in 2024, including over 500,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. Additionally, the drought has triggered the displacement of thousands of individuals alongside outbreaks of diseases, food scarcities, water shortages, and substantial agricultural setbacks. These conditions emerge within a context already vulnerable to medical emergencies, including extensive cholera and measles outbreaks, with new threats such as mpox potentially undermining the response to the drought in some affected regions. This crisis coincides with the most significant cholera epidemic the region has faced in decades, and while a degree of stability has been reached, persisting water shortages threaten hygiene and sanitation efforts, particularly in countries like Malawi and Mozambique, raising the risk of further cholera outbreaks. The repercussions of drought could lead to escalated rates of HIV transmission, mental health challenges, and increased incidents of gender-based violence, highlighting an urgent need for improved response measures and preparedness. The interplay of El Niño, cholera incidences, ongoing conflicts, and climate change has burdened health systems throughout Southern Africa, greatly limiting access to critical sexual and reproductive health services. Moreover, it is reported that over one million individuals have been internally displaced due to disasters and climate change, primarily from Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, further exemplifying the urgent humanitarian crisis at hand.
The El Niño weather pattern profoundly influences climatic conditions worldwide, and its impact on Southern Africa has historically resulted in significant droughts leading to food insecurity, health crises, and economic instability. The region has a notable vulnerability to adverse weather patterns due to its reliance on agriculture, which is deeply affected by variations in precipitation and temperature. The current crisis is exacerbated by existing socio-economic challenges, public health epidemics, and an environment prone to climate-induced disasters. Consequently, the ongoing El Niño event of 2023/2024 represents a culmination of these vulnerabilities, necessitating urgent intervention to alleviate suffering and promote recovery.
In summary, the 2023/2024 El Niño event has incited one of the worst droughts in Southern Africa in forty years, with severe implications for food security, health, and socio-economic stability. The affected population faces acute food shortages, disease outbreaks, and water scarcity, necessitating urgent humanitarian assistance, especially for vulnerable groups such as children. Additionally, the intricate interplay of ongoing health crises and climate change underscores the pressing need for responsive measures to support recovery and enhance resilience in the region’s communities.
Original Source: reliefweb.int
