Southern Africa is bracing for significant food shortages this year as an El Niño-induced drought devastates crops and critical food resources in rural communities.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) warns that the prolonged dryness is set to severely impact food security during the 2024-25 agricultural season.
\"Concerns mostly relate to a likely downturn in agricultural production and its implications for food availability and access, due to losses of income for rural households and potential upturns in prices driven by supply pressures,\" the FAO stated in its recent crop prospects and food situation report for southern Africa.
Rainfall across large portions of the sub-region has been significantly below average, leading to a projected decline in 2024 cereal production. The weather outlook forecasts continued below-average rainfall in March and April 2024, diminishing any chances of recovery in cereal crop conditions. Consequently, yields in southern Africa are expected to remain at average to below-average levels in 2024.
As a result, the region may need to increase grain imports to mitigate the looming food crisis, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable agricultural practices and effective water management strategies to combat the adverse effects of climate change.
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El Niño-induced drought could force southern Africa to import grain
cgtn.com
