Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has announced that his government is determined to mitigate the impact of the devastating drought that has hit the country this year and to strengthen the resilience of the population against climate variability.
Located in southern Africa, Zambia has a predominantly tropical climate modified by altitude, resulting in variations in temperature and rainfall depending on the season and region.
Due to the El Niño climate phenomenon, the drought has been prolonged this year, severely affecting the population, agriculture, and the economy, undermining livelihoods and posing an imminent threat of food insecurity.
"The country has experienced a devastating drought, which has necessitated declaring a state of national disaster to implement urgent measures to ensure affected populations have access to food and water," said Hichilema, adding that farmers have been particularly hard hit due to their reliance on rainfall.
The government is relying on its international partners to supplement its efforts in providing food aid, noted the President, calling for concerted efforts from all stakeholders within the country, including civil society and the private sector, to overcome the current challenges of the food and energy crisis caused by the drought.
Recently, in a televised speech, Hichilema stated that Zambia needs more than $900 million to address the impact of the prolonged drought that has plagued the country since last year.
