A deepening food crisis is gripping Southern Africa as a result of the El Niño-induced drought ravaging the region, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Friday.
Over 27 million people are facing food insecurity due to the devastating impact of the drought on crops and livelihoods.
WFP Assistant Executive Director Valerie Guarnieri, fresh from visits to Zimbabwe and Lesotho, described the situation as dire.
With 50% and 34% of their respective populations food insecure, these countries are among the hardest hit.
The lean season, typically from October to March, is starting early and with greater severity, compounding the crisis.
Guarnieri expressed particular concern for children.
An alarming 21 million children in the region are stunted, and 3.5 million urgently require nutrition treatment.
The situation is expected to worsen as the lean season progresses, putting millions of children at risk of malnutrition.
In response, WFP is scaling up its operations to reach 5.9 million people across seven countries with emergency food and nutrition assistance until March 2025.
However, the agency faces a daunting challenge due to severe funding shortages.
With only one-fifth of the required $400 million secured, WFP’s ability to mount an adequate response is at risk.