Lesotho

The impact of consecutive natural hazards and climatic shocks in the southern African countries of Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is affecting over 35 million people. Many households in these countries face acute food insecurity. Drought and dry spells have been affecting southern Africa since 1980. The most intense impacts have been recorded in southern Madagascar, where a prolonged drought has been affecting the country since 2019. The cyclone season and floods in 2022 have also had a negative impact on food security, especially in Malawi and Madagascar. Agricultural lands were flooded, and some key crops such as rice and maize were damaged. Dependence on rain-fed agriculture is one of the causes of food insecurity in southern Africa. Most farmers rely on traditional agricultural methods that depend on rain for irrigation.?

People cope with food insecurity by selling their belongings or through internal migration to other areas with better resources, such as in Madagascar and Eswatini. In Zambia, people engage in charcoal production to generate income and provide food for their families. Withdrawing children from school and not paying rent are ways to cope with food shortages in Namibia.?

Disruptions to the supply chain of wheat and vegetable oil caused by the war in Ukraine and sanctions over Russia, in addition to continued drought, dry spells, and floods, further challenge the food security situation in southern Africa. This can further deteriorate, especially during the lean season in November–March.?