Angola's Water Crisis: Is A Drought Imminent?

Angola is facing a severe drought that has led to a dire humanitarian crisis, with millions of people, especially in the south and southwest of the country, experiencing food shortages and hunger. The drought, considered the worst in four decades, has devastated crops and livestock, causing a rapid increase in food insecurity and malnutrition, particularly among children. The situation has been further exacerbated by high food prices, local currency depreciation, and the impact of climate change, leading to a desperate search for water and basic necessities. The crisis has triggered internal displacement and cross-border migration, with thousands seeking refuge in neighboring countries.

The worst drought in 40 years

Angola is facing its worst drought in 40 years, with the situation giving rise to a humanitarian crisis. The drought has been driven by climate change and is causing severe food shortages and hunger, with millions of people affected. The southwestern provinces of the country, including Cunene, Huila, and Namibe, are among the hardest hit, with more than 1.3 million people facing severe hunger. The lack of rainfall has left fields barren, pastures dry, and food reserves depleted, with crop losses of up to 40%.

The impact of the drought has been exacerbated by high food prices, a locust infestation, and the diversion of communal grazing land to commercial cattle farming. The situation has led to a migratory movement, with families moving to other provinces and across borders to neighbouring Namibia and Zambia in search of more favourable conditions. The number of Angolans fleeing to Namibia has been rising, with those displaced referred to as "climate refugees".

The drought has had a severe impact on children, with 114,000 children under the age of five suffering or likely to suffer from acute malnutrition in the coming year, according to the World Food Programme (WFP). The lack of food and malnutrition are having serious effects on their physical and mental development. The drought has also disrupted their education, with many children forced to spend long hours fetching water instead of attending school.

The WFP and other organisations are providing assistance to the Angolan government to address the crisis. However, the government's response has been criticised as insufficient, and there have been calls for a declaration of a state of emergency to allow for more support from the international community. The situation in Angola highlights the urgent need to address the impact of climate change and protect vulnerable communities.

The coming months are expected to bring further challenges, with food stocks traditionally low during the lean season from October to March. The number of hungry people is projected to reach 1.58 million during this period, and the situation could worsen if rainfall remains below average.

Food and water scarcity

Angola is facing a severe food and water scarcity crisis as a result of the worst drought in four decades. The drought has severely impacted the country's agriculture and livelihoods, with below-average rainfall from 2018 until the 2020-2021 rainy season contributing to the dire situation. The provinces of Cunene, Huila, and Namibe in southwestern Angola are among the worst affected, with over 1.3 million people facing severe hunger. The lack of rainfall has left fields barren, pastures dry, and food reserves depleted, causing a significant increase in food prices.

The situation has led to a humanitarian crisis, with thousands of people fleeing their homes in search of water, grazing for their cattle, and refuge in neighbouring countries such as Namibia and Zambia. The creation of commercial cattle ranches on community land has further exacerbated the issue, leaving large sections of the population food insecure. The impact of the drought on children is particularly concerning, with malnutrition rates expected to rise among those under five years of age.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned of severe food shortages and rising hunger in Angola, with crop losses estimated at up to 40%. The abnormal dryness has severely impacted crops and livestock, pushing many people to the brink of starvation. The lack of grazing land also risks decimating people's livestock, which is a vital source of income and food for many families. The situation is expected to worsen in the coming months due to below-average rainfall forecasts.

The food and water scarcity crisis in Angola has led to a range of issues, including migratory movements, malnutrition, and a lack of access to education for children. The situation has also highlighted the disparity in the country, with some people extremely wealthy while others struggle below the poverty line. The Angolan government has been criticised for its role in the crisis, particularly in diverting communal grazing land to commercial farmers. However, the government has also faced challenges in addressing the crisis due to the country's classification as a middle-income nation, which limits its access to certain types of international aid.

Overall, the drought in Angola has had a devastating impact on the country's food and water security, leading to severe hunger, displacement, and negative health and developmental consequences for vulnerable communities.

Impact on children

Angola is facing a severe drought, which has had a profound impact on the country's children. The crisis has disrupted their education, forced them to undertake arduous tasks, and left many on the brink of starvation.

The drought in Angola, considered the worst in decades, has had a devastating impact on children, particularly in the southern provinces of Cunene, Huila, and Namibe. The crisis has severely disrupted education, with many children forced to leave their homes and schools to accompany their fathers in search of water and pastures for livestock. This cyclical pastoral migration, usually lasting two to three months, has been extended due to the drought, with children spending up to seven months away from their families and schools.

The drought has also led to a severe food crisis in southern Angola, with over 2.3 million people facing food insecurity, including nearly half a million children under five. The lack of rainfall and high food prices have left many families without harvests and depleted food reserves. This has resulted in acute malnutrition among children, with serious consequences for their physical and mental development.

Children, especially girls, are also bearing the burden of fetching water and caring for livestock while their fathers are away. They wake up in the early hours of the morning and spend hours walking to water sources and collecting water, missing school as a result. This lack of access to education has left many children behind in their studies, with some dropping out entirely.

The impact of the drought on children's health and nutrition is also alarming. Malnutrition rates have peaked, and the lack of access to clean water and sanitation facilities has negative repercussions for children's health. The World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that 6 million people in Angola have insufficient food, with food insecurity being most prevalent in the south.

Overall, the drought in Angola has had a devastating impact on children, disrupting their education, threatening their health and nutrition, and forcing them to undertake challenging tasks to support their families' survival. The situation has left many children vulnerable and at risk of long-term consequences.

Migration to Namibia

Angola has been facing episodes of drought since December 2020, with below-average rainfall in the provinces of Cuanza Sul, Benguela, Huambo, Namibe, and Huila. The drought has been aggravated by climate change, commercial cattle ranches on community land, and locust infestations. As a result, millions of people in southwestern Angola are facing severe hunger and malnutrition, with more than 1.3 million people in the provinces of Cunene, Huila, and Namibe facing severe hunger. The situation is particularly dire for children under five, with 114,000 expected to suffer from acute malnutrition in the next 12 months.

Due to the devastating effects of the drought, thousands of Angolans have fled their homes and sought refuge in neighbouring Namibia. This migration has been referred to as a ""climate refugee" crisis, as people are forced to migrate to survive. By March 2021, Namibian local authorities had recorded a total of 894 Angolan nationals in the Omusati and Kunene regions, with large numbers of pastoralist families from Huila and Cunene abandoning their homes in search of food, water, and employment opportunities. The governor of the Omusati region, Erginus Endjala, attributed the migration to the severe drought in southern Angola, caused by climate change.

The Namibian government has been providing short-term assistance to the Angolan migrants, focusing on saving lives and reducing suffering. However, the Namibian Red Cross has appealed for stakeholders to assist the affected migrants with food, shelter, blankets, water, sanitation, mosquito nets, toiletries, and cooking utensils. The situation is urgent, as at least 18 Angolan infants have died in Namibia from malnutrition, and the migrants are in a vulnerable state, with many suffering from malnutrition and other health issues.

Historically, there has been a great deal of cross-border movement between Angola and Namibia, with various communities of Angolans in Namibia. During the Angolan Civil War, hundreds of Angolans fled to Namibia, and the number of refugees grew to 7,612 by 1999. While the number of Angolan refugees in Namibia dropped sharply after the war, there continues to be a flow of Angolans into Namibia for business, family visits, and temporary or seasonal work.

Government response

The Angolan government has been urged by Amnesty International to take responsibility for its role in the crisis and to take immediate steps to address food insecurity in the affected rural areas. The government has been providing food and water to the people in the drought-stricken areas. However, Fr. Pio Wacussanga, a priest working in the affected region, believes that the government's efforts are insufficient and has called for aid from international agencies to supplement the government's assistance.

The government has also been working with the World Food Programme (WFP) to strengthen the treatment and prevention of acute malnutrition in the provinces of Huila and Cunene. The WFP's assistance will be coordinated through the Inter-Ministerial Drought Task Force and will include support on nutrition, vulnerability analysis, and mapping, supply chain, and operations management.

In April 2024, the government announced it would allocate US$200 million for the construction of major hydraulic engineering works, including two dams and water channels. This long-term project must be accompanied by an urgent strengthening of the response on the ground, as a lack of water poses a threat to people's survival and the crisis is expected to intensify in the coming months.

The government is also working with UNICEF, which is supporting the response to the crisis by providing "safe havens", which are child-centred hubs that provide integrated health, nutrition, water, sanitation, and protection services to the most vulnerable communities. UNICEF is also leading the nutrition and water, sanitation, and hygiene components of interventions funded by the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).

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