Zambia declares national emergency over drought

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Zambia declares national emergency over drought

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Zambia Declares National Disaster Due to Prolonged Drought

Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema has declared a national disaster to address the prolonged drought affecting the country. In an address to the nation on Thursday afternoon, President Hichilema stated that 84 out of Zambia’s 116 districts were affected by the drought.

The country has been experiencing poor rainfall, raising concerns about potential food shortages and difficulties in meeting electricity demands, as a significant portion of Zambia’s energy comes from water sources.

Water levels at the Kariba Dam, which Zambia and neighboring Zimbabwe rely on for hydroelectricity, have dropped to about 11.5% of usable storage as of December last year. President Hichilema noted that the drought would impact the generation of over 450 megawatts of power.

Nearly half of the land used for crop cultivation has been affected by the dry spell, according to the president. To address the food deficit, President Hichilema pledged to bring additional maize and other food into the country.

He also announced plans to involve Zambia’s defense forces in efforts to mitigate the effects of the drought, stating, “We will work together to get farmers to plant more crops. We shall also enhance the social support programs for the affected farmers.”

President Hichilema called on farmers to adopt irrigation methods to cope with the dry spell, noting that an estimated one million farmers have been impacted.

He also emphasized the importance of collaboration with various stakeholders, including opposition politicians and the church, to address the situation. Several international partners, including the British government, the UN system, and the World Bank Group, have pledged their support.

Social media has been flooded with videos and images showing fields with dying crops, highlighting the severity of the drought in Zambia.