Zimbabwe Braces for El Niño-Driven Drought and Food Shortages

Zimbabwe is bracing for a potentially devastating El Niño-related drought that could lead to food shortages and economic strain. According to a recent forecast, below-average rainfall is expected in several provinces across the country from September 2026 to January 2027.

The government has approved a six-pillar El Niño mitigation plan to address the looming crisis, including measures to bolster the Strategic Grain Reserve and facilitate grain imports. Retail maize prices have already doubled in deficit-producing areas compared to surplus-producing regions, and are expected to rise further as demand grows.

Farmers are adjusting to the El Niño outlook by emphasizing conservation agriculture plots and adopting drought-tolerant seedling varieties for rainfed tobacco production. The Ministry of Agriculture reports favorable winter wheat harvest prospects, with area planted above last year and harvesting underway ahead of the start of the November to March rainy season.