1.86 billion euros needed

Zimbabwe declares state of disaster due to drought

Photo from Hwange National Park(Bild: AFP)

Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared a state of disaster due to persistent drought in the southern African country. Around 80 percent of the country has recorded far less rainfall than usual. 

Due to a dry period caused by the El Niño climate phenomenon, farmers were only able to harvest just over half of the planned grain harvest, Mnangagwa said in the capital Harare on Wednesday.

1.86 billion euros needed
Around 80 percent of the country had recorded far less rainfall than usual. The government therefore needed financial aid amounting to two billion US dollars (1.86 billion euros) to avert hunger in the country of 17 million inhabitants.

El Niño

According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the current El Niño is one of the five strongest recorded over several decades. According to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), the region experienced the "driest February in 40 years". Around 70 percent of the population in southern Africa depends on agriculture for their livelihood. It is now autumn in the southern hemisphere.

Neighboring countries also affected
Neighboring countries Zambia and Malawi have also already declared a state of disaster due to El Niño - a weather phenomenon that occurs at irregular intervals in the equatorial Pacific.

According to the UN Children's Fund UNICEF, nine million people in Malawi and six million in Zambia are currently affected. In addition, tens of thousands of people in Mozambique, Botswana and Angola are already suffering from the drought.