The World Food Programme (WFP) has just announced that 45 million people are facing acute food insecurity in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The situation within the SADC that includes 16 countries is due to a persistent drought, major flooding and economic difficulties. “This food crisis is on an unprecedented scale and the data show that the situation will get worse. The hurricane season has started, and we cannot allow it to result in the same situation as last year”, says Lola Castro, Regional Director of the WFP for Southern Africa. Among the worst affected countries are Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. In Southern Africa, the corn harvest is expected to be lower than the average for the past five years.
Source: Agence Ecofin