El Nino-induced drought is likely to force southern Africa to import grain

Much of southern Africa is expected to grapple with large-scale food shortages this year following an El Nino-induced drought that has ravaged crops and affected other critical food security resources for most rural communities. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), dryness across the sub-region is expected to have an extensive negative impact on acute food insecurity in the 2024-25 agricultural season. "Concerns mostly relate to a likely downturn in agricultural production and its implications for food availability and access, due to losses of income for rural households and potential upturns in prices driven by supply pressures," FAO said in its recent crop prospects and food situation report for southern Africa. It noted that cumulative rainfall amounts across large portions of the sub-region have been well below average, which is expected to lower 2024 cereal production. The weather outlook pointed to continued below-average rainfall ...