Severe Drought Crisis in Africa Deepens, Threatening Widespread Hunger and Food Shortages

Severe drought conditions are gripping vast regions of Africa, with the crisis worsening as prolonged dry spells and unprecedented weather patterns devastate crops, livestock, and livelihoods. Large areas of northern and southern Africa are currently affected, including the Zambezi basin and much of southern Africa where five countries—Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe—have already declared national drought disasters. Neighboring nations like Mozambique and Angola are also suffering significant impacts.

The drought, intensified by the most recent El Niño cycle, has resulted in widespread crop failure and severe livestock losses, striking hardest in regions where up to 70 percent of the population depends on agriculture for survival. With rainfall remaining scarce and the next harvest season months away, food insecurity is expected to intensify, leading to a severe regional food deficit and worsening chronic malnutrition rates.

Relief agencies, including the World Food Programme, are mobilizing to provide emergency food and cash assistance, but resources remain limited while needs continue to grow. The humanitarian outlook is bleak, with millions of people facing acute hunger as drought persists and forecasts suggest conditions may deteriorate further in the coming months.