Lusaka: Between October of this year and March of next year, an estimated 1.2 million people in Zambia are at risk of experiencing acute food insecurity due to an ongoing El Niño-induced drought, according to senior government officials.
Announcing the latest seasonal rainfall outlook in Lusaka, the country's capital, Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa said the figure represents 7 percent of the analyzed population in 93 districts expected to experience drought during the 2026/2027 rainy season.
Kangwa urged early preparations for the challenging season, saying El Nino was expected to significantly influence weather patterns.
He said northern Zambia would receive normal to above-normal rainfall from October to December, while southern Zambia would experience below-normal rainfall due to El Nino.
"The contrasting rainfall patterns require targeted and proactive measures across climate-sensitive sectors," he added.
He described the forecast as an early warning roadmap for safeguarding the country's development gains and directed all provincial administrations to immediately implement multisectoral contingency plans.
Zambia experienced a severe drought during the 2023/2024 rainy season due to extreme weather associated with El Nino. According to the government, the drought affected crop
production in 84 of the country's 116 districts, leaving about 1.6 million people in need of food assistance.
