Hunger Grips Lesotho, Malawi, and Namibia as Drought Wipes Out Crops

In a parched village nestled within southern Africa’s mountainous kingdom of Lesotho, Daniel Phoofolo, a 55-year-old subsistence farmer, trudges through his barren plot. Once fertile, it now yields nothing but desiccated stalks and roots. The drought, which has plagued countries across the region for months, has left Phoofolo’s family struggling. His wife has sought work in neighboring South Africa, while he and his two young daughters survive on just two meals a day: breakfast of bread and tea, and supper of milk and maize-meal porridge¹.

In Lesotho, the government declared a national disaster due to low crop yields and threatened food availability. Approximately 700,000 people are battling hunger, with 80% relying on subsistence farming.

Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe: These countries also declared disasters as the most severe El Niño-induced drought in a century scorches crops and devastates livestock.

Namibia: The fourth country to declare a state of national disaster due to the drought. WFP Warning: The UN World Food Programme reports that 18 million people across Angola, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho, Namibia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe face ‘Crisis’ levels of food insecurity². 

In Lesotho, many farmers in the Butha-Buthe district experienced their first crop failure this year. A temporary employment scheme pays locals for road maintenance and cemetery cleaning, but the situation remains dire. 

In Namibia, the drought has left fields of shriveled maize and desperate families. Widower Arabang Polanka’s children attend school without breakfast, and he fears they may soon go to bed without supper¹.

Despite adversity, communities rally. Lesotho’s government intervenes with employment programs, and individuals like Arabang Polanka persevere. As the region grapples with this crisis, urgent action is needed to alleviate hunger and safeguard livelihoods³.

Remember, these are not mere statistics; they represent real people facing hunger and uncertainty. Let us stand together, raise awareness, and support those affected by this devastating drought.