Zambia has declared a national emergency after a severe drought. Lack of rain is devastating the agricultural sector, affecting more than one million families. The region is experiencing its driest February in 40 years.

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Climate Crisis

Zambia has officially declared a national emergency due to a severe drought impacting the country. The shortfall in rainfall has significantly devastated the agricultural sector, which is crucial for the country's economy and food security. This drought has adversely affected over one million families, underscoring the severity of the situation.

The region is currently experiencing its driest February in 40 years. This extended period of drought has raised alarm among officials and citizens alike, prompting the government's declaration. The lack of rain is not only a threat to crop production but also poses challenges to the availability of water for both personal and agricultural use.



Zambia declares national disaster over drought

Crops are struggling to survive in Zambia. Every day, Peter Shamapondo goes to check on his maize, and every time he comes out here, he worries. All crops have been destroyed. There's nothing good to look at in the fields. Hunger will kill us. President Hakainde Hichilema says the drought, brought on by El Nino and also blamed on climate change, will affect more than a million households. Zambia has gone without rain in the past months for weeks at a time. It wasn't planned. We did get a warning that there would be an El Nino, so we still went ahead and took a gamble and planted 35 acres of maize, a single crop that definitely has good potential in terms of income. Zambians have experienced droughts before. Farming is in the blood. So we understand there are cycles. So there are some years where we make a loss, and then some years we make a profit. So the only alternative source of income, unfortunately, still lies in the agric sector. According to the World Food Programme, Zimbabwe, Botswana, southern Malawi, eastern Angola and parts of Mozambique are also in trouble. Zambia's government says humanitarian aid will be made available so people don't go hungry. Until then, many can only wait. Har Mutasa, Al Jazeera.

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