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- El Niño conditions have halved maize harvests in southern Africa
- Three countries have declared states of disaster
- Zambia reports ‘total crop failure’ in 2024
In Southern Africa, maize is a staple food for millions of people eaten as pap, sadza and nshima. But dry and hot weather caused by El Niño has led to a devastating decline in production across the region.
El Niño is a weather phenomenon that is the result of the ocean’s surface temperature increasing, leading to a warmer atmosphere. From November to April, it typically brings heatwaves, below-average rainfall and drought to Southern Africa.
Three countries declared a state of disaster earlier this year: Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Zambia is experiencing its driest agricultural season in more than 40 years, according to the UN. The country lost almost half of the maize it planted, close to 1-million tonnes, describing it as ‘total crop failure’.
Malawi is likely to produce 45% less maize than usual in 2024, while Zimbabwe projects to produce 55% less. Millions of people across the region are expected to go hungry as a result.
— 5 August, 2024Subscribe to the weekly newsletter for more charts like this
