Southern Africa: Millions of people facing food crisis in Southern Africa

Harare – More than 9.6 million people are suffering from food insecurity in the Southern African region following droughts, mainly in Malawi and Zimbabwe.

The situation is catastrophic, with at least 80% chance of an El Niño phenomenon until December 2018, coinciding with the lean period in the region.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), Malawi currently has about 3.3 million people in crisis or emergency.

Zimbabwe has about 2.4 million people facing similar shortages.

There are also pockets of people facing emergency food insecurity in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Lesotho and Mozambique.

Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe have been identified as the six most risk-prone countries, following fears of a re-emergence of the El Niño phenomenon.

It is generally associated with below average rainfall in some areas of southern Africa.

UNOCHA warned that rising levels of food insecurity were increasing protection risks, especially for women and children.

The agency said irregular rains were already affecting vulnerable families who travel long distances in search of alternative livelihoods.

"This exposes women, in particular, to an increased risk of gender-based violence," said a spokesman for the UN.

It is feared that food insecurity will force people to stop taking antiretroviral therapy (ARVs), one of the side effects of these drugs being a feeling of increased hunger.

The Southern African region includes the following countries: Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.