News in Brief:
– Zambia faces a drought in six of its provinces, following earlier heavy rains that worsened a cholera outbreak.
– President Hichilema announced budget adjustments to prioritise food security, with crop purchases planned and corn exports suspended until harvest assessment.
Zambia faces a new challenge as a dry spell impacts six of its provinces, with drought hanging above these areas by a thread. This danger follows a period of heavy rains earlier this year in the southern African country.
To address the situation, President Hakainde Hichilema announced plans to adjust the national budget and prioritise food security initiatives, a news report said.
The president affirmed this position during a meeting with church leaders in Zambiaâs capital city of Lusaka. He stated that the administration will realign its budget to ensure adequate food supply for its citizens. He also emphasised the government’s commitment to purchasing all domestically produced crops through the Food Reserve Agency.
However, the drought threatens not just food production but other necessary areas of life. For example, there are fears that it could reduce electricity generation in southern Zambia’s hydropower plants.
Adding to the complexity, Agriculture Minister Reuben Phiri indicated that corn exports will be suspended until the government assesses post-harvest crop yields.
These measures highlight the Zambian government’s proactive approach in mitigating the potential food security crisis triggered by the drought. It also acknowledges the ongoing challenges posed by the recent heavy rains and the lingering cholera outbreak.
As of January 2024, the World Health organization (WHO) reported that the country had recorded 560 deaths from 14,900 cholera cases, which is a fatality rate of about 3.8%. Efforts to ensure access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) alreadt translates to unusual water usage. The drought could make matters worse.
Meantime, Agriculture is a very vital aspect of the southern African country, as it employs a wider percentage of the population, than the mining industry. Zambia’s cash crops include tobacco, wheat and chili peppers.
