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Nqobile Bhebhe, nqobile.bhebhe@chronicle.co.zw
SOUTHERN Africa is grappling with severe consequences of the 2023/2024 El Niño phenomenon, which has resulted in the most significant drought recorded in the region’s history.
The implications include widespread water shortages, considerable livestock losses, and diminished agricultural yields, all of which are contributing to a noticeable increase in food insecurity.
The El Nino-induced drought affected numerous sectors of economies ranging from agriculture, food and nutrition security, health, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), education, energy and social protection among others.
On food security, the SADC Regional Vulnerability Assessment and Analysis Programme Synthesis Report for the 2023/24 season revealed that an estimated 57 million people are currently food insecure in at least 12 member states.
Overall, the combined impacts of the disasters over the past few years amount to billions of dollars in damages and losses. The residual effects of the disasters also make it difficult for member states to respond to new and emerging issues.
This state of affairs calls for robust disaster preparedness, mitigation and innovative financing mechanisms which are, indeed critical areas that need proper attention. The El Niño conditions might have eased, but the severe impacts linger.
In response to the El Niño-induced drought and flooding, SADC is in the process of implementing the Regional Humanitarian Appeal, which amounts to US$5,5 billion.
This appeal was launched on May 20, 2024, to address the urgent humanitarian needs resulting from these climate-related challenges.
Typically, the plight of 57 million food-insecure people and an appeal for US$5,5 billion paints a grim picture for the region. However, the regional bloc has demonstrated resolve and determination not to let these 57 million people succumb to hunger.
The Committee of Ministers Responsible for Disaster Risk Management (DRM) from SADC met in Victoria Falls recently to review progress on the implementation of regional disaster management activities and programmes aimed at strengthening the region’s preparedness and response to disasters.
Speaking at the meeting, Vice-President Dr Constantino Chiwenga delivered a bold and reassuring message to the member states. “I am confident that Member States have achieved a feat in terms of mobilising resources and responding to the drought, particularly those that have been declared State of Disasters. Resources will ensure that affected communities survive the threats and impacts posed by the drought as well as enable these communities to rebuild their lives,” said Dr Chiwenga. He added, “Furthermore, we need to ensure that No One in the region dies of hunger.”
The meeting was convened to review progress on the implementation of SADC programmes and activities aimed at strengthening the region’s preparedness to disaster risks as well as mitigating the impacts of disasters.
Dr Chiwenga called on member states to strengthen their disaster early warning systems to empower communities to make informed decisions to minimise the impact of disasters.
“I urge Member States to strengthen their early warning systems to empower communities to make informed decisions to minimise the impact of disasters. The recurrence of natural disasters in the region, at accelerated frequency, requires vigilance and pro-activeness, instead of only reacting when disasters occur.
“Disaster preparedness is the function of robust early warning systems, proper coordination, and capacitation of structures for effective disaster risk management. In the same stride, other components that constitute the disaster management gamut such as response, recovery, reconstruction, and resilience-building should not be overlooked.”
Dr Chiwenga emphasised that Zimbabwe has undertaken several significant interventions to mitigate the impacts of drought.
These initiatives include comprehensive food distribution programmes executed by the government in collaboration with various partners, the drilling of boreholes to improve water accessibility, and the establishment of Village Business Units designed to enhance the resilience of affected communities. Furthermore, urban cash transfer initiatives have been introduced, among other related programmes.
He also noted that the Drought Insurance Schemes developed in partnership with African Risk Capacity have been instrumental in providing essential resources to address the adverse effects of drought.
For instance, Zimbabwe subscribed for the 2023/24 African Risk Capacity sovereign drought insurance policy worth US$3 million and subsequently received a payout of US$16,8 million after the materialisation of the insured drought risk.
Effectively, according to the proposed 2025 national budget, the country received a payout of more than US$31 million, with the remainder being paid to Replica partners, World Food Programme (WFP) and Start Network.
The SADC Deputy Executive Secretary for Regional Integration, Ms Angele Makombo N’tumba said the meeting took place at the backdrop of a huge number of people requiring humanitarian assistance due to the impacts of the El Nino induced drought, and resources required to meet these needs are high.
She said the SADC region is transitioning from an El Nino which resulted in a drought that affected various sectors of the economy with particularly devastating impacts on food security, to a La Nina that projects normal to above normal rainfall with likelihood of torrential rains, floods and landslides.
It is expected that the current 2024/25 tropical cyclone season will have between nine and 13 systems including tropical storms and cyclones that could develop with four to seven of them reaching tropical cyclone level.
“These projections and figures, should not scare us, but give us renewed zeal and impetus to scale up preparedness and Anticipatory Actions to strengthen our resilience to disaster risks,” said Ms N’tumba.
She rallied member states to ensure that they put in place adequate contingency plans and resources to make sure that the region is able to protect the major development gains to date and support vulnerable populations and communities that do not have the capacity to cope and withstand the impacts of these recurrent and persistent disasters.
“There is no tomorrow against disasters, we all need to act now,” said Ms N’tumba. In his address, Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Daniel Garwe in his capacity as Chairperson of the Committee of SADC Ministers Responsible for Disaster Risk Management said Zimbabwe should be at the forefront of disaster risk management.
“As you are aware, Zimbabwe recently assumed the Chairmanship of SADC hence it is incumbent upon the current Chairperson, His Excellency Dr ED Mnangagwa to spearhead all developmental issues as well as tackling the effects of the current El-Nino induced drought in our Member States,” said Minister Garwe.
“We are urged to harness our National and Regional efforts to manage disaster risk, continue to improve on Disaster Risk Reduction capacity and raise awareness to risk and strengthen preparedness.”
He stressed to delegates from the region that disaster risk reduction issues have become a pressing international agenda with recognition that efforts to reduce disaster risks must embrace climate change and be systematically integrated into policies, plans and programming for sustainable development.
“If disaster risk reduction is not prioritised at the highest echelon, all our endeavours in achieving Sustainable Development Goals will go to waste as disasters can divert our development resources towards humanitarian assistance,” he noted.
Minister Garwe said investment in resilience projects such as irrigation schemes, water harvesting techniques, livelihood diversification programmes, and rural industrialisation projects among others is key towards achieving a disaster-proof region.
He noted that all regional efforts should be aimed at “Leaving no one and no place behind” as espoused by the SADC Chairperson, Dr Mnangagwa.
Minister Garwe chronicled the region’s recent disasters.
In 2019, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi experienced one of the most devastating cyclonic events which left scores of people dead and a significant number homeless.
Critical sectors such as health, education, energy, communication and transport among others were crippled requiring a multi-sectoral intervention to reconstruct and rehabilitate the damaged infrastructure.
In 2023, Malawi and Madagascar were hit by Cyclone Freddy which caused a lot of infrastructural damages and left a trail of destruction of properties leaving many people dead and others homeless or injured.
In January 2024, Tropical Cyclones Gamanek, Filipo and Belal passed through Mauritius and Madagascar bringing with them heavy rains and strong winds that resulted in loss of lives, displacement of people and damage to infrastructure and property.
During the meeting, the SADC Ministers acknowledged the addendum to the SADC Humanitarian Appeal as presented by the SADC Secretariat.
They commended the International Cooperating Partners for their contributions in addressing the impacts of the drought induced by El Niño.
The Ministers called upon partners such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), World Food Program (WFP) and other regional and international humanitarian agencies to sustain their support for national efforts in mitigating the effects of the drought and directed the SADC Secretariat to identify lessons learned from the implementation of the SADC Humanitarian Appeal.
The Ministers also reviewed the prevailing status of food and nutrition security within the region and urged Member States to undertake measures aimed at mitigating food shortfalls and providing support to vulnerable households.
They instructed the SADC Secretariat to assist Member States in monitoring and evaluating the potential impacts of La Niña projections on food and nutrition security for the 2024/2025 season, thereby facilitating preparedness and early action.
The Ministers acknowledged the disasters that adversely affected the region during the 2023/24 tropical cyclone season and assessed their impacts in conjunction with weather and climate forecasts for the 2024/25 season.
They emphasised the necessity for Member States to adequately prepare for potential eventualities.
Added to that, they acknowledged the dashboard for the Regional Hazards and Preparedness for 2024/25 season, as outlined in the regional hazards and preparedness plan for the 2024/25 season. The ministers directed the Secretariat to continue monitoring the 2024/25 weather and climate situation to timely inform early action, approved the draft Drought Resilience Building Programme and urged Member States and partners to support the roll out of the Drought Resilience Building Programme.
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