Nearly 70 million people in southern Africa are facing the effects of an El Niño-induced drought, resulting in widespread food shortages and even forcing some families to eat grass seed. Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Namibia have declared the situation a state of disaster and are calling for humanitarian support. In Malawi, almost half of the population, including many children, are in need of humanitarian assistance due to the devastating drought. The drought has severely impacted crop and livestock production, causing food shortages and damaged economies across the region.
In a small farming village in Malawi, families are struggling to survive as the once lush landscape is now parched and barren. Some have resorted to eating grass seed after their crops withered in the scorching heat. Subsistence farmers like Masautso Mwale are finding themselves in increasingly desperate situations, forced to engage in activities like deforestation to earn money to buy food for their families.
Deforestation, while harmful to the environment, is one of the few ways Mwale can make a living in a country where nearly every household relies on firewood and charcoal for cooking and heating. The drought has left him with few other options as he struggles to feed his family with limited resources. As the hunger crisis continues to worsen in southern Africa, issues like deforestation and increased reliance on dangerous or damaging survival tactics are likely to persist.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com