Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared a national disaster to tackle a severe drought crisis. The country needs $2bn to address hunger caused by low rainfall, which destroyed half of the maize crop, leading to food shortages affecting around 2.7 million people.
Neighboring Zambia and Malawi have also declared similar emergencies due to drought, raising concerns that this could be one of the worst droughts in decades across southern Africa.
With 13.6 million people facing food insecurity in the region, securing food for all Zimbabweans is a top priority, according to Mr. Mnangagwa.
Zimbabwe faces high inflation due to rising food prices, and now, it must compete regionally for maize supplies. The drought has also hampered electricity production, as the country heavily relies on hydroelectric power.
While not all droughts are directly linked to climate change, the increasing frequency of dry spells is a concerning trend. Excess heat in the atmosphere exacerbates drought conditions, highlighting the urgent need for global emissions reduction to mitigate further temperature rise.
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