In 2015 one of the worst drought hit Zimbabwe after two decades. The El Nino was declared a national disaster as acute food and water shortages rose drastically.
The El Nino is caused by the unequal heating of air over the
southern Pacific which causes global temperatures to rise especially in the Southern Hemisphere.
Effects
- Acute food shortages especially in remote areas such as Mwenezi due to poor harvests
- Livestock death such as cattle due to lack of pastures and water
- Cattle prices falling drastically e.g. from $500 to $50.
- Children dropping out of school due to hunger.
- HIV patients refusing to take medication on an empty stomach.
- Acute malnutrition especially children below 5 due to hunger.
- River levels and discharge declined.
- Reservoirs such as Lake Kariba declined sharply,12%full and 2m deep.
- Acute power outages and load shedding.
- Heat waves, which had severe effect on people living with albinism.
Response
- Some rural dwellers traded cattle for small amounts of food.
- Food aids especially in remote areas by organizations such as World Food Programme (WFP).
- Cattle feed and food by FAO