This case study highlights how the Southern Africa drought response of 1992-1993 demonstrated how coordinated and timely action was effectively able to avert disastrous famine consequences – even at regional scale. It highlighted the value of engaged regional institutions, at both political and operational levels, and particularly the importance of regional food insecurity warning systems.
The advance drought warning enabled the transport of food commodities across eleven southern African countries from April 1992 to April 1993, using six transport corridors, nine ports, and a creative mix of road/rail and private sector transport. The response’s effectiveness was underpinned by coherent political will across the affected countries, supported by vigorous international action, to ensure a disaster avoided. The key messages of this case study, are:
- The 1991-1992 El Niño triggered a region-wide drought in Southern Africa that led to a 52% cereal production shortfall, placing 20 million people at risk of acute food insecurity.
- A coordinated multi-scalar response led to the import and transshipment of 11.6 million tonnes of food across the region, the largest food relief response since the 1966-1967 drought in India.