Highlights
Following extremely poor rains during the first half of the rainfall season, the Lesotho Government has declared a drought emergency and has established an Inter-Ministerial Task Force to oversee the response.
The Government of Lesotho has developed a National Response Plan to address the situation and has issued an Appeal Document.
Consecutive poor harvests since 2014-2015, the weakening Rand and drought conditions are escalating the crisis as livelihoods are affected and many people and services are without or have limited access to water.
There is an increased likelihood of water-borne diseases and access to health and education facilities is hampered by limited water availability.
Livestock diseases and mortality are increasing as a result of poor feeding sources and scarcity of water.
Some projections indicate that the number of people affected will surpass the 725,000 figure during the 2012 crisis due to the increasing food prices in the sub region and the unprecedented severity of the drought.
725 000+ People likely to be affected
338 000 Targeted for assistance
US $27.8 m Resource Gap to address needs
Situation Overview
The effects of the drought in Lesotho concern multiple sectors: food security and agriculture, water, health and nutrition as well as migration, protection and security. This presentation will give a brief overview over the situation in the most effected sectors.
The impact of El Niño induced drought during the 2015/2016 planting season (Sep-Dec) is having enormous repercussions in Lesotho and neighbouring areas of South Africa, adding to the dry spell registered during the 2014/2015 agricultural season. Lesotho is currently facing water scarcity and rain deficits which have led to delays or failure of the planting season and will certainly cause a sharp decline in food production. Water shortages in Lesotho do not only affect agricultural activities but also industrial production, access to basic services that are unable to function normally (e.g. health centres and schools) as well as household consumption patterns. The water scarcity severely endangers the water reserves in Lesotho’s dams and has already led to water rationing in many districts In the light of gravity of the situation, the Government of Lesotho in collaboration with UN agencies and NGOs is preparing a joint rapid community assessment to be conducted late January and early February 2016