By Hauwa Ali
The United Nations World Food Programme has warned that extreme weather would trigger runaway humanitarian needs if not tackled, as tropical Cyclone Emnati hit Madagascar and threaten food security.
“The impact of extreme weather on Madagascar is an example of the ‘runaway humanitarian needs’ the world will face, unless it takes action to tackle the climate crisis,” the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday.
The storms – Emnati, Dumako, Batsirai and Ana – have wrecked the island nation, causing widespread damage to agricultural land including the rice crop that was just weeks away from harvest. Cash crops like cloves, coffee and pepper have also been severely affected.
Crashing into vulnerable communities already at breaking point, Cyclone Emnati, the fourth tropical storm to hit madagascar in one month, is bound to deepen hunger especially in southern Madagascar, which has been reeling from years of severe drought – another manifestation of the country’s vulnerability to climate extremes, according to WFP. Given how dry the land is in these areas, there are now concerns regarding the risk of flash floods.
In a country where the majority of people make a living from agriculture, the back-to-back storms have impacted market supplies with the potential to send food prices soaring and food insecurity spiralling in the coming months. Forecasts predict another tropical system already forming in the south-west Indian ocean.
“What we are seeing in Madagascar is extreme climate impacts – a series of storms and prolonged drought affecting hundreds of thousands of people.
“While WFP is providing essential food in the aftermath of the storms, we need to be equally fast in thinking about how these communities are going to adapt to this new reality.” said Brian Lander, WFP’s Deputy Director of Emergencies.
As it did to alleviate the impacts of the other recent storms, WFP has stepped up to support the government-led response to Emnati with food and cash assistance, prioritizing displaced families in the worst-off locations as well as with IT and logistics support. The WFP-run United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) is operating damage-assessment flights and an airbridge between the capital, Antananarivo, and hard-hit, hard-to-reach areas for aid workers and their equipment.
Although food and cash assistance are being delivered to alleviate the impacts of recent storms, as well as IT and logistics support, WFP reiterated the importance of longer-term climate adaptation to help communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from climate shocks and stresses.
The world over, the climate crisis continues to drive global hunger. In 2020, extreme weather contributed to most of the world’s food crises and was the primary cause of acute food insecurity in 15 countries. WFP’s effective and scalable solutions, especially in fragile environments, help vulnerable communities adapt to the harsh reality of the climate crisis and preserve development gains.
The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
