Drought and hunger in Southern Africa – Switzerland provides emergency relief
Southern Africa is currently battling a severe drought due to climate-related weather extremes. The UN has announced that millions of people in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi will be pushed into acute hunger if large-scale aid is not mobilised before the next harvest period. The SDC is supporting the three countries with CHF 4.7 million towards tackling the impending hunger crisis.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the drought in Southern Africa is breaking records: Zimbabwe, most of Zambia and southern Malawi are experiencing the worst dry spell in several decades. Between the end of January and mid-March this year, in the middle of what is usually the rainy season, there was almost no rain at all. Temperatures were on average five degrees higher than in the preceding years. One of the reasons for this is the El Niño climate phenomenon, which causes heatwaves and droughts in Southern Africa. These El Niño events are exacerbated by climate change.
The heat and drought have led to severe crop losses in many areas. More than 30 million people are facing hunger, undernourishment and water scarcity. All three countries are expecting a significant rise in the number of people in need of food aid, and have declared a state of disaster and asked for international support.
El Niño might be ending, but its impacts are far from over.
People in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi urgently need food aid
Around 70% of the population in Southern Africa depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. In Zimbabwe, the drought is affecting almost the entire country: 70% of the maize harvest – the staple food in the region – has to be written off. For other crops, only a fraction of the harvest can be counted on. The UN's World Food Programme estimates that by the end of 2024, the number of Zimbabweans who cannot obtain sufficient food independently is likely to rise to 6 million, i.e. over a third of the total population.
The situation in Zambia is also catastrophic: 84 out of 116 districts are affected by the drought, including the largest grain-growing areas. The situation for livestock is also deteriorating, with over 76% of cattle living in the regions affected by the drought. According to government estimates, almost a third of the total population will need humanitarian aid by March 2025.
In Malawi, drought in the south and flooding in the north have led to severe crop damage. The government in Malawi estimates that 44% of the country's maize-growing area and two million farming households are affected. This is taking a heavy toll on livelihoods and food security.
The Southern African drought is yet more evidence of the growing impact of climate disasters on the lives of the most vulnerable. This crisis demands that our response is inclusive, impactful and at scale.
Switzerland's short and long-term commitment to climate resilience
Switzerland is providing emergency aid totalling CHF 4.7 million to contribute to the food security of the communities affected in the three countries. These funds are used to distribute cash and – if the local markets can no longer guarantee sufficient supply – food to the drought-hit populations. This support, provided in coordination with the governments concerned, is brought to the communities by multilateral organisations and NGOs with a solid track record in emergency aid and social security project implementation.
Switzerland has been working for over twenty years to increase prosperity in the countries of Southern Africa. At the beginning of 2023, it adopted a particular focus on Zimbabwe and Zambia. The priorities here are sustainable food systems, access to high-quality services, particularly in the health sector, and good governance and strengthening civil society.
Several projects are making tangible contributions to increasing resilience to climate disasters. One of these is the African Risk Capacity (ARC). An institution of the African Union, the ARC allows African countries to insure themselves against drought. Switzerland has contributed USD 800,000 and USD 200,000 respectively to the premiums for drought insurance in Zimbabwe and Zambia for the current season, thereby increasing their insurance cover. As both countries are affected by the drought, they will receive almost USD 10 million (Zambia) and USD 16.8 million (Zimbabwe) for coping with the drought. This is thanks to support including that of Switzerland.
In Zambia, Switzerland is working with the World Bank and the UN to assist the government in developing its social security system, which equips low-income Zambians for extreme climate events. The households receive monetary social benefits, which they can use to cover expenses for food, education or crisis management. The amounts and the group of recipients are being significantly increased to combat the social impact of the drought.
Beyond this, several projects funded by Switzerland are supporting small-scale farmers in their transition to more climate-resilient, ecological farming and seed. With the record drought, these farmers too have suffered crop failures. But initial reports suggest that they were able to harvest more than those who use conventional methods and seeds – which provides important insights for better coping with the inevitable next drought.
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