In July 2023, forecasts were issued for El Niño-induced droughts across Southern Africa for the upcoming 2023-24 rain season, expected to coincide with the critical planting season and disrupt the harvests of communities that were already struggling with food insecurity. In response to the forecasts, WFP and partners activated Anticipatory Action programmes in Lesotho, Madagascar, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, providing assistance ahead of the drought to help communities prepare for and withstand the climate shock. This is the largest activation of Anticipatory Action programmes in Southern Africa to-date, reaching over 1.2 million people with early warning messages and disbursing USD 14 million in pre-arranged financing.
Across the four countries, WFP and partners provided a combination of cash transfers, agricultural inputs such as drought-tolerant seeds, early warning information and support for the provision of safe water. Results across the countries highlighted the effect of Anticipatory Action in supporting people’s food security and essential needs in the face of the drought. The lessons from the four activations are documented in these reports and are being used as a basis to enhance the Anticipatory Action programmes for future activations, so that they can continue to protect lives and livelihoods before disasters strike.
