Part 1. Situation Overview

1.1 Introduction:

• Significant rainfall deficits in Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Lusaka, North-Western, Southern and Western provinces have sharply reduced national cereal crop production projections;

• On Thursday 29th February 2024, Zambia’s President, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema declared the country’s drought as a National Disaster and Emergency;

• This drought has devastating consequences on many critical sectors such as agriculture, water availability, energy, and food security of majority Zambians.

• A total of ZMW 23.5 billion or US$ 941 million is required to provide life-saving and early recovery assistance to 6.6 million people affected; and

• The number of affected people is projected to increase once an In-Depth Vulnerability and Needs Assessment for 2024/2025 is conducted and the response plan will be adjusted accordingly

Zambia is experiencing the driest agricultural season in more than forty years, thereby adversely affecting surface water levels, crop and pasture production for an estimated 6,552,027 people (translating to 1,092,005 farming households) across the country. Late onset and prolonged dry spells associated with the El Nino phenomenon have negatively affected crop production. Prolonged dry spells in southern parts of the country coincided with crucial vegetative and flowering stages for staple and economic crops resulting in total crop failure. A total of 982,765 hectares out of an estimated 2,272,931 hectares of maize planted country wide have been destroyed by the drought resulting in total crop failure.
The dryness also affected pasture for livestock and wildlife, replenishment of surface water for irrigation, aquatic life and livestock. A total of 84 districts out of 116 districts in seven provinces were significantly affected by delayed onset of rains and have experienced unprecedented prolonged dry spells since 20th January 2024. These provinces host over 76% of livestock (cattle, goats, sheep, and pigs) population and over 66% of chickens in the country. In addition, the affected provinces host over 3,800 households engaged in aquaculture and over 165,000 people rely on fishing for their livelihoods and food security.

This comes against the back-drop of at least 2.04 million people who are already severely food insecure and in need of humanitarian assistance beyond the end of the lean season (October 2023 – March 2024). According to the IPC analysis between October 2023 to March 2024 – an estimated 58,000 people are in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) and 1.9 million people in Crisis (IPC Phase 3). A total of 67 of the 76 assessed districts were identified as hotspot districts IPC 3 (Crisis). The failed cropping season, extended lean season is likely to result in more people requiring urgent humanitarian action to reduce food gaps, protect and restore livelihood and prevent acute malnutrition beyond the end of the lean period.

Drying water sources and decreasing ground water availability will severely impact access to safe water for people in affected areas. The country has at least 74.7 per cent of its population accessing water through improved sources, 59 per cent for rural areas. 57.9 per cent of the population have access to improved sanitation facilities with 40.9 per cent of the rural population having similar access. Reduced access to safe water will increase the risks of waterborne diseases. Already, the country is still recovering from a cholera outbreak that recorded over 21,000 cumulative cases, claiming about 700 lives. Decreased access to water threatens not only human lives but could lead to increased protection risks for women and children as they walk longer distances to fetch water.