Angola’s rainy season, which usually lasts from November to April, brings the little rainfall needed to grow a good harvest and raise healthy livestock. Abnormal drought affects the lives and livelihoods of millions of people in the southwestern provinces of the country.
World Vision Australia reported that 11 million people, half of whom are children, are suffering from high food prices and growing hunger. The World Food Program said conditions are not expected to improve in the coming months due to below average rainfall.
WFP spokesman Thomson Phiri said water shortages in Angola have damaged crops, with losses reaching 40%. In addition, according to him, the lack of pasture can lead to the death of livestock.
“WFP is extremely concerned about chronic food insecurity and malnutrition in the hardest hit areas,” Phiri said. “This situation is reportedly also causing migration flows when families move to other provinces and across the border to Namibia.”
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said that Angola has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the world, with about 75 deaths per 1000 births.
There is also great disparity in the mineral-rich African country: some people are extremely wealthy while others live in poverty. According to the UN, 40% of Angola’s population lives below the poverty line.
As Angola becomes a middle-income country, the World Food Program is not providing food assistance to the hungry. Phiri said the government could take care of its people.
However, he added, WFP provides technical assistance and expertise to improve the conditions of those in need. For example, he said, WFP is helping the government expand school feeding programs, especially in the south and southwest of the country. He is also involved in the fight against malnutrition.
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