Agricultural recovery: Hope in Southern Africa’s post-drought revival
As Africa grapples with escalating hunger crises, new report sounds the alarm
TEBOHO KHATEBE MOLEFI
MASERU – In a promising turn for Southern Africa, Lesotho has been removed from the UN’s Hunger Hotspots list, marking a significant milestone in the region’s recovery from the devastating 2023/24 El Niño drought. Lesotho, along with neighbours like Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe, is now witnessing improved harvests and easing food insecurity, according to reports by the United Nations (UN) – a testament to resilient farming communities and favourable weather shifts.
Just months ago, Lesotho faced severe food shortages as El Niño scorched crops, leaving thousands dependent on aid.
Today, however, the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) joint report reveals that improved rainfall and climate conditions have spurred agricultural recovery across Southern Africa.
While larger economies like South Africa and Zambia dominate headlines with record maize yields, Lesotho’s recovery is equally critical.
The nation’s subsistence farmers, who rely heavily on rain-fed agriculture, have benefited from the recent weak La Niña, which brought much-needed precipitation.
Though small in scale, Lesotho’s harvest improvements contribute to stabilizing local food prices and reducing import dependence.
Despite the progress noted by the UN agency, Lesotho’s food security remains precarious. Over 20 percent of its population still faces chronic hunger, exacerbated by poverty and unemployment. Experts warn that without long-term investments in irrigation, seed systems, and infrastructure, future climate shocks could erase recent gains.
The region’s turnaround is undeniable, with Zambia expecting a record 3.6 million tonnes of maize, double last year’s harvest. South Africa’s maize output rose by 14 percent, easing price pressures – no immediate El Niño threat looms, offering a reprieve for farmers.
Yet crises persist elsewhere. Sudan, Haiti, and Mali remain hunger epicentres, with conflict and funding shortfalls deepening despair. The Democratic Republic of Congo’s reintroduction to the hotspot list underscores how quickly stability can unravel.
For now, local farmers celebrate fuller granaries and lower maize prices. But the nation’s story is a microcosm of Southern Africa’s broader struggle, progress is possible, but climate resilience and equitable growth are non-negotiable for lasting change.
As the UN report notes “the worst may be over, but the work is far from done.”
The newly released Hunger Hotspots report, supported by the European Union through the Global Network Against Food Crises, paints a dire picture of worsening food insecurity across Africa, with several nations facing catastrophic hunger levels in the coming months. The analysis identifies Sudan, South Sudan, Mali, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Chad and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as countries requiring immediate intervention to prevent mass starvation.
“Africa stands at the precipice of an unprecedented hunger emergency,” warned FAO Director-General QU Dongyu. “Behind these staggering numbers are real people, mothers forced to skip meals so their children can eat, farmers watching their livelihoods vanish and entire communities pushed to the brink of survival.”
Cindy McCain, Executive Director of the WFP, stressed the urgency, indicating that “We are witnessing hunger move at terrifying speed across Africa. While we have the expertise to respond, we are racing against time. Every delay costs lives.”
Sudan’s nightmare continues as famine takes hold amid relentless violence. With 24.6 million people – over half the country’s population – facing severe hunger, the situation is deteriorating rapidly. Displacement camps in Darfur and Kordofan are becoming hunger hotspots, while economic freefall makes food unaffordable for millions.
The Central Sahel remains trapped in a vicious cycle of conflict and hunger. In Mali, soaring grain prices and armed violence have left 2 600 people at risk of starvation by mid-2025 if aid fails to reach them. Neighbouring Burkina Faso and Chad face similar turmoil, with displaced families struggling to find their next meal.
Despite recent peace efforts, South Sudan remains one of the world’s most food-insecure nations. A staggering 7.7 million people – more than half the population – could face crisis-level hunger by mid-2025. New data confirms famine risks in two regions, with floods and political instability worsening the crisis.
The DRC has re-entered the hunger hotspot list as conflict escalates in the east. Millions of displaced Congolese, many living in makeshift camps, are surviving on less than one meal a day.
While much of Africa faces deepening hunger, there are fragile signs of progress. Ethiopia, Kenya, Niger and Southern African nations like Malawi and Zambia have seen improvements due to better harvests and reduced drought. However, experts caution that these gains could vanish without sustained support.
