FAO – Southern Africa Grains, 2024

The 2024 cereal crop production in Southern Africa has been significantly impacted by prolonged rainfall deficits and record high temperatures, leading to below-average levels of maize harvests and widespread crop failures. Governments in Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe have already declared drought emergencies. These production challenges are in line with past El Niño events, with positive ENSO values leading to low rainfall and poor cereal harvests in the region. As a result, import requirements are expected to increase and supplies will likely need to be sourced from outside Southern Africa. This situation could worsen acute food insecurity in the region in the coming year.