Zimbabwe’s Response to El Nino Drought: A Comprehensive Plan for Mitigation and Resilience

In response to the devastating 2023/2024 El Nino-induced drought, President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared a National State of Disaster on April 3, 2024. The government has estimated a resource requirement of USD2 billion for mitigation and USD717 million for resilience building. This proactive approach aims to ensure Zimbabwe emerges stronger and better equipped to withstand future climate-induced shocks.

The government’s interventions are categorized into five pillars: Cereals, Horticulture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Water and Irrigation. These initiatives focus on mitigation and resilience-building, leveraging the experiences from the El Nino drought to drive progress.

To address immediate needs, a contingency plan has been set in motion to import 300,000 metric tonnes of maize. The Grain Marketing Board (GMB) will facilitate grain movement from surplus to deficit areas. The government has already started distributing grain to affected communities using a new three-month cycle model.