Oxfam Report Highlights Water Crisis as Catalyst for Hunger in Africa
According to Oxfam’s report, “Water-Driven Hunger: How the Climate Crisis Fuels Africa’s Food Emergency,” the climate crisis has exacerbated water scarcity, leaving 40% of the population in eight African countries—Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, South Sudan, Zambia, and Zimbabwe—without safe drinking water. The report highlights that extreme weather events, including droughts, cyclones, and flash floods, have surged due to climate change, impacting small-scale farmers, pastoralists, and fisherpersons.
The number of individuals experiencing extreme hunger in these countries has risen from nearly 31 million in 2019 to over 55 million in 2024, marking an increase of 80%. In Ethiopia alone, food insecurity has skyrocketed by 175%, affecting 22 million people. In Kenya, over 136,000 square kilometers of land have become drier between 1980 and 2020, devastating crops and livestock.
Globally, flash floods have become 20 times more frequent from 2000 to 2022, while the duration of droughts has increased by 29%. The report warns that the ongoing La Niña weather pattern will exacerbate flooding in Southern Africa and drought in East Africa, further threatening food availability.
Oxfam’s Africa Director, Fati N’Zi-Hassane, emphasized the need for rich nations to provide adequate climate finance, stating, “It’s not about charity, it’s about justice.” The report also calls for African governments to enhance investments in water infrastructure and social protection to better manage natural resources and support vulnerable communities facing climate-related challenges.
