Nearly 70 million people in southern Africa are currently suffering from the effects of an El Niño-induced drought, leading to widespread food shortages and forcing some families to eat grass seed. Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Namibia have declared the hunger crisis a state of disaster and are calling for humanitarian support. In Malawi, almost half of the population, approximately 9 million people, are in need of humanitarian assistance, with half being children. The drought, described as the worst in over a century, has devastated the nation where over 80% of people rely on rain-fed agriculture.
In one small farming village in Malawi, the landscape is parched and barren, with families resorting to eating grass seed after their crops withered in the drought. Some have even been hospitalized after consuming poisonous tubers in desperation. The drought, which began in early 2024, has affected crop and livestock production, causing food shortages and damaged economies throughout the region.
For subsistence farmers like Masautso Mwale, the drought has forced him into dangerous activities such as cutting down trees to sell charcoal to feed his family. While Mwale is aware of the harmful effects of deforestation, the need for food and survival outweighs the long-term consequences. Despite the challenges, Mwale remains determined to provide for his family in the midst of the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
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