Escalating Food Insecurity in Southern Africa
Food insecurity continues to rise dramatically in Southern Africa due to erratic weather, pest outbreaks, and significant economic challenges. During the consumption period of 2025/26, it is estimated that approximately 46.3 million people across seven countries—Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, South Africa, and Tanzania—will face acute food insecurity. With these crises becoming more frequent, timely and coordinated vulnerability assessments are essential for guiding early intervention and effective response strategies.
Collaborative Efforts for Vulnerability Assessment
In response to the growing food crisis, representatives from 11 Southern African Development Community (SADC) Member States, along with regional and international organizations like the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), and others, convened virtually from July 14 to July 16, 2025. This Annual Dissemination Forum was integral to the SADC Regional Vulnerability Assessment and Analysis (RVAA) Programme. Following this forum, a 29th Steering Committee meeting took place on July 17, 2025, to further discuss strategies for addressing vulnerability.
Despite facing challenges related to data collection and budgeting, seven Member States were able to finalize their national assessments and share their results at the forum. These findings played a crucial role in completing the 2025 Regional Synthesis Report on Food and Nutrition Security in SADC, a document that received validation from the Regional Vulnerability Assessment Committee (RVAC).
Concerns Highlighted in Recent Reports
The report presents a troubling increase in food insecurity, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, and low-income urban areas. The situation has been exacerbated by the drought induced by the 2024 El Niño phenomenon, ongoing conflicts, and rising food prices. Conversely, the region has experienced normal to above-average rainfall during the 2024/25 season, fostering a slight recovery in cereal production and grazing conditions. Countries like Tanzania, Lesotho, and Eswatini have benefitted from these more favorable weather conditions.
FAO’s Continued Support and Future Directions
The FAO has long been a vital partner within the RVAA framework, offering technical assistance aimed at improving vulnerability assessments. Their support includes providing expertise to the Regional Vulnerability Assessment Committee and ensuring proper alignment with the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) frameworks. Enhancing the connectivity between collected data and actionable early responses is a priority for FAO.
Looking forward, FAO plans to engage more closely with SADC Member States and various partners to boost the effectiveness and scope of vulnerability assessments throughout the region. Efforts will focus on harmonizing tools and methodologies, advancing digital data collection systems, and encouraging cross-country learning and knowledge sharing. FAO’s mission includes collaborating with the SADC Secretariat to fortify the sustainability of the RVAA programme, ensuring that early warning systems are integrated into broader disaster risk management protocols.
Urgent Need for Investment in Food Security Analysis
The outcomes from the 29th Steering Committee meeting signify an urgent need to increase investments in regional food security evaluations. The Committee emphasized the necessity of mobilizing resources to conduct a comprehensive analysis of existing national frameworks. This effort aims to create a standardized vulnerability assessment framework for the SADC region by 2026. As a key technical partner, FAO is committed to providing its expertise to ensure that this new framework is scalable, inclusive, and responsive to the multifaceted vulnerabilities facing Southern Africa.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.
