One of the most severe droughts in recent history is impacting southern Africa, with nearly 70 million people facing critical shortages of food and water.
In the Mudzi district of northern Zimbabwe, local residents and their livestock find themselves on a dry riverbed where the normally flowing Vombozi River now presents only parched sand.
Community members armed with shovels and buckets strive to extract the last remnants of water from the riverbed, while increasing numbers of individuals converge on the dwindling water source, intensifying competition for this vital resource.
In the riverbed, makeshift holes formed by desperate attempts to reach the water supply have become gathering spots for families. Children bathe, women wash clothes, and livestock are given water from the same scarce source.
Gracious Phiri, a mother of five, notes that she now travels three hours daily to fetch water, worried about the health risks posed by the water quality.
“As you can see, the cattle are drinking from the same pit as us. Their urine is right there… it is not very healthy,” she expresses, highlighting the alarming conditions.
Hunger is also a pressing concern, with 7.7 million people in Zimbabwe facing food insecurity. Reports indicate that the number of families in Mudzi able to access affordable, nutritious food has declined by over 50% in recent years.
Children are particularly affected; since June, hospital admissions for moderate to severe malnutrition in youngsters have doubled. In response, a community feeding initiative offers weekly meals for children under five, relying on contributions of local produce. However, these supplies are dwindling, as essential ingredients like cowpeas and beans become unavailable due to failed harvests.
The government, with support from various partners, has scaled back the feeding program from three times per week to once due to the ongoing drought’s impact. Local medical facilities are also struggling, with vital boreholes running dry and water supplies dwindling in the district’s main dam.
As many as 200 local farmers are now unable to participate in vegetable irrigation schemes due to the lack of water.
Tambudzai Mahachi, a local farmer, shared her plight after losing her maize, cowpeas, and peanuts crops. Despite previous success in supplying markets in Harare, she now relies on food assistance for her family.
“We have gone from eating what we want and when we want to limiting meals,” she reflects, noting the significant change in her family’s dietary habits.
Southern Africa is grappling with failed rains this year, which has led a third of the region’s countries to declare states of disaster. With approximately 68 million people in need of food aid, these dire conditions are likely to persist.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has requested $5.5 billion in aid to address the drought’s consequences, but only a small fraction has been received thus far.
Tomson Phiri from the UN World Food Programme warns that the situation is set to worsen, pinpointing that many households lack maize, the region’s staple carbohydrate. The WFP has received only 20% of the $400 million needed for emergency assistance, as southern Africa experiences its largest maize deficit in 15 years.
The hunger and water crisis continues to escalate as October approaches, historically the hottest and driest month of the year. Should rain occur in November or December, farmers will still face delays, waiting until March for their next maize harvest.
As families like that of Ms. Mahachi grapple with the immediate pressures of hunger and water scarcity, uncertainty looms for the months ahead.
