El Nino impact leaves Malawi and region on the edge of a hunger crisis

Subject: IR

Section: Places in news

Context:

Malawi has declared a state of disaster due to severe drought conditions affecting 23 of its 28 districts. The country’s President has announced an urgent need for over $200 million in humanitarian assistance to address the crisis.

Regional Impact:

This announcement follows a similar appeal from Zambia, and Zimbabwe is also considering declaring a drought disaster.
These developments come amid warnings from the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) about a potential hunger crisis in southern Africa, driven by the El Niño weather phenomenon and one of the driest spells in decades.
Nearly 50 million people in southern and parts of central Africa are facing food insecurity, exacerbated by significant rainfall deficits in countries like Malawi, Mozambique, and parts of Angola.
Both Malawi and Zambia are currently experiencing major cholera outbreaks, underscoring the health challenges compounded by the drought crisis.
The Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Eritria, Djibouti and Somalia) is currently facing the worst drought in 40 years after five seasons of poor rainfall.

El Niño and Climate Change:

El Niño, a natural weather pattern causing below-average rainfall in southern Africa, is believed to be intensified by climate change, resulting in more extreme impacts. The 2015-2016 El Niño led to the region’s worst drought in 35 years.

Region of Africa facing severe droughts:

Source: TH