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2.7 million Zimbabweans need food aid as El Nino compounds a drought crisis, UN food program says

Photo of cracked and dry soil in a field. Image by engin akyurt via Unsplash

A recent story by The Independent details a hunger crisis in Zimbabwe fuelled by poor harvests as a result of El Nino intensified drought conditions. The UN Food Program has announced a government aid package to assist the reported 2.7 million rural people affected.

The UN World Food Program has announced it is working with Zimbabwe’s government and aid agencies to assist the reported 2.7 million rural people amidst an El Nino fuelled drought crisis in southern Africa. It has been reported that nearly 20% of Zimbabwe’s population is at risk of hunger caused by food shortages due to poor harvests where small-scale farming supports the majority of rural people’s diets. The UN Food Program assistance will aid in supplying food to those affected. 

El Nino is a naturally occurring weather pattern but it is expected to further escalate the current dry spell. A wider trend of dry spells have become longer and more severe in southern Africa. The rainy season has become more erratic in recent years with rain frequently starting later and ending sooner.

Read more here and see more from us on How power dynamics influence southern African seed and food systems 

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