Zimbabwe Faces Dire Hunger Crisis as Drought Ravages Country

Millions of Zimbabweans facing starvation as drought disrupts agriculture and livelihoods, prompting a $430 million U.N. appeal.

About half of Zimbabwe's population, approximately 7.6 million people, are in urgent need of food and water due to the country's worst drought in four decades, according to the United Nations humanitarian agency. The situation is particularly dire in the 3.1 million people residing in the most severely affected districts, prompting a $430 million appeal from the U.N. to provide lifesaving humanitarian assistance.

Zimbabwe, once a food exporter, has been heavily impacted by the drought induced by the El Nino weather phenomenon, which has swept across southern Africa, leaving both people and animals desperate for sustenance. The staple corn harvest for the 2023-24 season is estimated to be a mere 700,000 tons, a 70% decline compared to the previous season. Zimbabwe requires 2.2 million tons of corn annually to meet the demand for both human consumption and livestock feed.

The U.N. appeal aims to address the urgent humanitarian needs through a range of interventions, including food assistance, cash transfers, and the construction of solar-powered boreholes to provide drinking water for both people and livestock. These boreholes are crucial for watering cattle, a key source of food and labor in rural Zimbabwe.

El Nino, a natural climatic phenomenon, has had varying effects on weather patterns worldwide. In southern Africa, it has typically caused below-average rainfall, but this year's drought has reached unprecedented levels. The region has experienced some of the hottest days in decades, coupled with severe flooding in other areas, devastating livelihoods and disrupting farming, the primary source of income for many in the region.

Over 60% of Zimbabwe's population resides in rural areas, relying on subsistence farming and small-scale trade to meet their basic needs. With limited access to cash, many families struggle to afford food even when it is available in markets, exacerbating the impact of the drought.

The U.N. appeal emphasizes the urgent need for immediate action to prevent the loss of lives and livelihoods in the coming months. Children under the age of 5 and pregnant and breastfeeding women are particularly vulnerable to malnutrition and health risks.

The drought also poses serious risks of gender-based violence, sexual exploitation, and abuse, as the search for water and other resources becomes more desperate. In patriarchal Zimbabwe, children, especially girls, are often tasked with fetching water from distant sources, exposing them to safety hazards.

The drought has also raised concerns about a potential cholera outbreak due to unsafe hygiene practices, such as lack of handwashing and consumption of water from polluted sources. Lack of access to clean water and sanitation further exacerbates health risks.

Close to 2 million children, both boys and girls, may be forced to drop out of school due to the impact of the drought, disrupting their education and further compromising their future prospects. The U.N. appeal calls for international support to address this crisis and avert a humanitarian disaster.