Meals dry up as Zimbabwe’s drought sets in

Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia are among the countries in Southern Africa most affected by malnutrition caused by drought.

A bed of sand and a patch of mud are all that remains of Kapotesa dam in Mudzi district, which once provided the water vital for crops and livestock in this remote part of northeastern Zimbabwe.

Nearby, farmer Georgina Kwengwere walks among corn stalks desiccated by the drought that is ravaging her country and leaving millions of people in need of food aid.

“I did not harvest anything after all my effort and using all our savings to buy seeds,” said the 54-year-old, shaking her head despondently. “Not even a single cob.”

The Kapotesa dam dried up in May, Kwengwere said. “Only God knows how we are going to survive until the next harvest next year.”

When the rains are good, water from the dam allows Kwengwere and her husband to grow vegetables to feed themselves and their six children. There is even a surplus to sell for cash to buy livestock and pay school fees.