Online Reporter
Agriculture Reporter
ZIMBABWE has been removed from the United Nations hunger hotspots list owing to better climatic conditions and better harvests this year, a joint report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) has said.
Worsening hunger has, however, been observed in Sudan, Palestine, South Sudan, Haiti and Mali.
“In contrast, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lebanon, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Zambia and Zimbabwe have been removed from the hunger hotspots list.
“In East and Southern Africa, as well as in Niger, better climatic conditions for harvests and fewer weather extremes have eased food security pressures. Lebanon has also been delisted following reduced intensity of military operations. However, FAO and WFP warn that these gains remain fragile and could reverse quickly if shocks re-emerge,” read the report.
According to a United Nations report, people in five hunger hotspots around the world face extreme hunger and risk of starvation and death in the coming months unless there is urgent humanitarian action and a coordinated international effort to de-escalate conflict, stem displacement, and mount an urgent full-scale aid response.
“These countries remain hotspots of highest concern and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has returned as a hunger hotspot to watch. The report shows that Sudan, Palestine, South Sudan, Haiti and Mali are hotspots of highest concern, with communities already facing famine, at risk of famine or confronted with catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity due to intensifying or persisting conflict, economic shocks, and natural hazards.
“The devastating crises are being exacerbated by growing access constraints and critical funding shortfalls,” read the report.
The semi-annual hunger hotspots report is an early-warning and predictive analysis of deteriorating food crises for the next five months.
Developed and published with financial support from the European Union through the Global Network Against Food Crises, the latest edition projects a serious deterioration of acute food insecurity in 13 countries and territories — the world’s most critical hunger hotspots in the coming months.
In addition to hotspots of highest concern, Yemen, the DRC, Myanmar and Nigeria are now hotspots of very high concern and require urgent attention to save lives and livelihoods. Other hotspots include Burkina Faso, Chad, Somalia, and Syria.
FAO director-general QU Dongyu said: “This report makes it very clear: hunger today is not a distant threat — it is a daily emergency for millions. We must act now, and act together, to save lives and safeguard livelihoods. Protecting people’s farms and animals to ensure they can keep producing food where they are, even in the toughest and harshest conditions, is not just urgent, it is essential.”
WFP executive director Ms Cindy McCain said the report was a red alert. “We know where hunger is rising and we know who is at risk. We have the tools and experience to respond, but without funding and access, we cannot save lives. Urgent, sustained investment in food assistance and recovery support is crucial as the window to avert yet more devastating hunger is closing fast,” she said.
In Zimbabwe, Government has been prioritising food and nutritional security through the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme, village business units and investing in irrigation so farmers can produce food throughout the year. The severe drought last year hit most of Southern Africa, hence the block of regional countries on the hunger list.
According to the second round of Crops, Livestock and Fisheries Assessment, food crop production almost quadruple from last season.
The estimated maize production is 2 293 556 tonnes, illustrating the recovery from the devastating effects of the El Nino weather phenomenon experienced in the previous season.
Traditional grain production is estimated to be 634 650 tonnes with 188 261 tonnes of pearl millet and 9 605 tonnes of finger millet.
