Online Reporter
Theseus Mauruki Shambare
ZIMBABWE has been identified as one of 22 high-risk countries vulnerable to anticipated El Niño-induced climate shocks after the United Nations World Food Programme (World Food Programme) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (Food and Agriculture Organization) launched a first-of-its-kind global appeal aimed at protecting millions of people before disasters strike.
The Joint Anticipatory Action Appeal, launched in Rome this morning, seeks to mobilise $202 million to protect nearly 8.8 million people across vulnerable regions ahead of forecast climate shocks linked to El Niño.
According to the WFP and FAO, the appeal targets 22 high-risk priority countries, including Zimbabwe and is designed to enable early interventions before extreme weather conditions escalate into full-scale humanitarian crises.
Announcing the initiative on its official website, WFP said: “FAO and WFP have launched their first-ever Joint Anticipatory Action Appeal, seeking $202 million to protect nearly nine million people from the potential impact of a strong El Niño weather pattern across 22 high-risk priority countries.”
The agency added that scaling up early action would “help safeguard lives, livelihoods and food security.”
In Zimbabwe, the announcement was amplified by the WFP country office on social media platform X, which reposted the global statement and said: “Just in : @WFP and @FAO have launched their first-ever Joint Anticipatory Action Appeal ahead of expected #ElNiño climate shocks that could threaten food security and livelihoods this year and next. #Zimbabwe is among the 22 high-risk priority countries.”
The appeal marks the first time the two UN agencies have jointly launched a global anticipatory action initiative of this scale, reflecting a growing shift in humanitarian response towards acting on forecasts rather than responding after disasters occur.
WFP and FAO said El Niño conditions forecast for 2026 could trigger both drought and flooding patterns across Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean, disrupting planting seasons, harvests, pasture conditions and water availability.
The agencies warned that millions of people are already facing acute food insecurity driven by conflict, economic instability and recurrent climate shocks, making early intervention more urgent.
WFP Acting Executive Director Carl Skau said:
“We cannot afford the fallout of another food crisis. With El Niño on the horizon, we have a narrow window to act so families are not forced into impossible choices later.”
He said that anticipatory action “keeps food on the table and protects those at most risk,” stressing that early financing enables faster and more cost-effective responses.
FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol said experience had shown that “early action is more effective and less costly than responding after a crisis has escalated,” adding that financing must be made available before crisis thresholds are reached.
Zimbabwe’s inclusion among priority countries places renewed focus on its vulnerability to climate variability, particularly droughts and floods that have repeatedly affected agricultural production and rural livelihoods.
Agriculture remains a cornerstone of Zimbabwe’s economy, supporting millions of households and playing a central role in national food security.
The appeal will fund interventions including cash assistance, drought-tolerant and flood-resistant seeds, livestock protection, water harvesting systems, flood mitigation infrastructure and early warning systems.
The agencies said such measures help households protect livelihoods, stabilise food consumption and reduce long-term recovery costs.
The announcement comes as Southern Africa continues to face heightened climate risks following previous El Niño-related droughts that severely affected crop yields, livestock production and water supplies across the region.
FAO and WFP said they are already positioned to support 1.2 million people under existing anticipatory action frameworks, with plans to scale up to 8.8 million if additional funding is secured.
The appeal underscores what humanitarian agencies describe as a growing consensus: that acting before disaster strikes is often the most effective way to protect vulnerable communities from climate shocks.
