The President of Zimbabwe declared a state of national disaster. This Southern African country is facing a severe drought linked to the El Niño climatic phenomenon, which has brought the specter of hunger to millions of people.
Zimbabwe becomes the third country in Southern Africa to implement this measure, following Malawi and Zambia, which will enable it to unlock exceptional funds to address the crisis.
“No Zimbabwean should succumb to hunger,” declared President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday evening.
According to him, 2.7 million people are expected to face food shortages this year due to low rainfall. He warned that cereal crops would barely feed just over half of the population.
The state of national disaster will allow the government to unlock exceptional funds to purchase cereals from neighboring countries. However, this year, traditional suppliers in Zambia and Malawi are also at risk of poor harvests and may be unable to assist their neighbors.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, some regions of Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe have received only 80% of the expected rainfall in recent months.
According to an agricultural expert, South Africa – whose maize production is the largest in the region – has only a limited surplus to export to its neighbors. Therefore, alternative sources will need to be sought.
However, maize imports also mean an increase in food prices, cautioned the same expert.
Zimbabwe was once the region’s breadbasket, exporting wheat, maize, and tobacco. Today, the Zimbabwean government is encouraging farmers to shift towards more resilient crops such as sorghum.