Australian drought assistance to Southern Africa

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Australia will provide $10 million to the World Food Programme to deliver food and nutritional support to 11.9 million drought-affected people in countries in southern Africa. Australia has been active in the global response to the impact of El Niño, which has also had a devastating impact in the Indo-Pacific region.

The current El Niño event has produced the driest growing season in southern Africa in over 35 years, compounding the effects of drought during the previous growing season. This has left 32 million people in the region without access to adequate food supplies including 2.7 million children who are severely malnourished.

Australia’s response has focussed on funding lifesaving food, nutritional and livelihoods assistance for countries most affected in the Pacific and South East Asia as well as the Horn of Africa.

Additionally, through its aid program the country is investing in improving preparedness and resilience to climate variability that will help communities prepare for future periods of drought.

This additional funding brings Australia’s total contribution to $46 million for countries affected by El Niño.