Drought

Drought in Malawi

More than 2.8 million people will face hunger in the coming months in the worst food crisis in a decade in Malawi, where a staggering four out of every 10 children suffer from stunting, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned today.

"People in some affected districts have already started selling their livestock to make ends meet," WFP said in a press release. "Women are also engaging in more firewood and charcoal selling, which degrades the environment and further aggravates the fragile climate."

"The agency said more than 2.8 million people will face hunger in the coming months following severe floods and drought that ruined this year's harvest.

"The floods early this year were the worst in living memory in Malawi, washing away homes and food stocks, and ruining fertile land," it said. "Some crops managed to withstand the floods only to succumb to intense dry spells in the following months, making survival even more difficult for the most vulnerable."