UNITED NATIONS, Aug 23 (IPS) – At a press conference at UN headquarters on Aug 7, Deputy Secretary-General Spokesperson Farhan Haq detailed the high levels of food insecurity and socio-economic hardship in Zimbabwe due to the El Niño drought, which continues to wreak havoc on the ecosystem. In April this year, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared a state of disaster across the country.
“More than half of the crops have been destroyed, and some 7.6 million people are now at risk of severe hunger,” Haq said. He added that some 5.9 million people are expected to face severe food insecurity as the severe hunger period approaches early next year.
“This crisis has far-reaching implications for food and nutrition security, health, water, education and livelihoods,” said Edward Kallon, the UN Resident Coordinator in Zimbabwe.
The drought caused by the El Niño phenomenon has caused numerous environmental problems in Zimbabwe, including reduced rainfall, rising temperatures, drying up rivers and poor air quality.
This is particularly concerning because Zimbabwe relies heavily on rainfall to determine the success of crop production and livestock health. The effectiveness of the agricultural system is crucial to the country, as more than half of the population relies on the agricultural system as a source of income. Agriculture also accounts for about 15% of the country’s gross domestic product.
About 42 percent of the population faces extreme poverty due to declining crop yields, which has led to young children being pulled out of school and into the workforce to help support their families.
“The drought has put a strain on Zimbabwe’s economy, with more than a fifth of school-aged children out of school,” Haak added. The El Niño drought has wreaked havoc on Zimbabwe’s economy, leaving families struggling to earn enough to support themselves.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), “more than 45,067 children have dropped out of school, 3,000 more than the annual average. The current drought caused by El Niño could further increase the dropout rate as families face increased poverty levels, making it harder for them to pay school fees.” OCHA also predicts that there will be an increase in child marriage, child violence, child migration and child abandonment.
Not only are children poorly educated, they are also among the most vulnerable in terms of health. Widespread food insecurity and poor diets put children at high risk for hunger, malnutrition and disease. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), about 27 percent of Zimbabwean children are stunted.
Zimbabwean women are particularly vulnerable to the socio-economic impacts of the drought. OCHA says that in addition to the increased rates of violence against children, increased levels of gender-based violence have been recorded. It has also observed an increase in sexual, domestic and gender-based violence due to “increased family conflicts resulting from crop damage and income loss.”
OCHA added that rural communities have been hit hardest. Zimbabwe’s rural communities make up the majority of the country’s population, with about 62 percent working in agriculture.
The drought has also had a negative impact on the country’s water supply, with many rivers drying up and not expected to recover for years. This has severely limited access to clean water in many rural areas. “Thirty-five percent of rural households had inadequate water services, and 45 percent of rural households travelled more than half a kilometre to collect water,” OCHA said. Reduced access to clean water has led to deteriorating sanitation conditions and the spread of diseases, particularly cholera, which continues to be prevalent in poor areas.
“The humanitarian community in Zimbabwe is concerned that the lack and depletion of safe water resources could lead to an increase in infectious diseases,” said Stephane Dujarric, a spokesperson for the Secretary-General, at a press conference at UN headquarters on April 8.
OCHA added that the drought had significantly increased the risk of infectious and waterborne diseases. The current cholera outbreak, exacerbated by poor sanitation due to the drought, was reported to have killed 591 people between February 2023 and April 2024.
Drought also increases the risk of malaria and maternal complications. Pregnant women are highly vulnerable to stillbirth, infections, miscarriage and maternal death. This is mainly because drought severely limits access to essential resources for medicines and quality of care, OCHA added.
The UN is working on a plan to mitigate the effects of the drought and support communities in Zimbabwe. “The UN and its partners are continuing to work with the government to support response efforts,” Haak said. “But the $429 million flash appeal launched in May, which aims to reach more than 3 million people, is only about 11% funded.”
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