(Bloomberg) -- The United Nations said it seeks $136.5 million to assist 4.7 million Malawians affected by the El Nino-induced drought in the southern African nation.
The government estimates that the drought has severely affected about 44% of the national corn-crop area while other vitals crops such as rice, soybeans and groundnuts have suffered significant damage, the UN said in an emailed statement Wednesday.
In total, almost 2 million farming families, representing more than 9 million people, have endured substantial losses in agriculture production. The nation has a population of about 20 million people.
“The food-security situation in the country is precarious with 4.2 million people projected to face acute food insecurity between May and September this year. With the impacts of the drought, these people will struggle to meet their basic food needs,” it said.
The priority of this appeal is food assistance that requires about $50.7 million to support procurement, distribution and cash transfers to the most vulnerable people.
Dry and hot weather in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe has decimated corn crops, prompting the countries to declare a national state of disaster in recent months. South Africa, the region’s top producer, has seen its output slashed by at least a fifth.
In May, the African Union’s climate-insurance agency said it will pay out at least $60 million to Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique to help them offset the impact of the weather catastrophe.
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