The causes of drought are either natural or manmade or both. Lesotho. In 2017, continued response to the El Niño drought supported an additional 3,681 affected households (11,043 children) in dire need through the Child Grants Programme (CGP). Tensions might build up between the countries regarding the volume of the water shared by each country. Lesotho: Drought Situation Update 02 … In addition, the intensity and frequency of extreme events such as floods and drought are expected to increase, especially in the western and northern lowlands. The decline in agriculture production is one of the main causes of poverty in rural areas. Lesotho is among several countries in the region that experienced poor harvest due to the El-Nino induced drought. Lesotho. UNFPA Communications officer Violet Maraisane said that it is estimated that at least 500 000 Basotho (a quarter of the population) are food insecure and would need assistance. As a consequence of such fluctuations the rain-producing components for Ethiopia have been weakened or dislocated during drought years. 140 kilometers per hour, can cause temperatures to rise as much as 20 C in two hours. Drought has many causes. Poultry farmers have lost lots of chickens. Despite Lesotho’s economic dependence on the richness of its water resources, the country faces some water-related challenges. In Quthing, the Qomoqomong river suppies the town with drinking water, but currently there is water rationing because it is so dry you can see the river-bed, and so some villages have had no water for days. Well-below average rainfalls have resulted in deterioration of the pasture and livestock conditions. 1This Documrnt Created by LATEX. The impacts of climate change in Lesotho will vary from sector to sector. • The drought conditions of 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2019 ha left many maize ve producers in the North West and parts of the Free State in a very challenging environment. The fruit yield was no longer what it used to be because it has halved by 50%. Localized and less severe droughts (affecting between one and five states were also recorded in 1967-1973, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993 and 2000 (USGS, 2000). “Lesotho is no stranger to drought which periodically occurs, causing havoc to water sources, agricultural production, food security and the environment, to name but a … causes of the degradation. The winds blow intermittently and may continue for days, cause illness in people and animals, harm crops, and occasionally damage houses and infrastructure. Some experts say it was that drought, rather than civil strife, that caused the fall of the pharaohs, who ruled Ancient Egypt for 3,000 years before the region became a province of the Roman Empire in 30BC. where drought is seen to be the cause (rather than just a trigger) of the food security crisis, the ‘drought scenario’ obscures the issue of HIV/AIDS and other causal factors of food insecurity in Lesotho. Late onset of rains, below-average rains, dry spells, frost, and recurrent droughts are the most visible causes of hunger and malnutrition in the country. This is as a result of overgrazing (which causes inadequate vegetative cover in the rangelands), drought, torrential rains which come during one season, communal land use (Tragedy of the commons), deforestation and improper land use practices. We learned in the discussions about the water cycle and weather that changes in the wind patterns that move clouds and moisture through the atmosphere can cause a place to not receive its normal amount of rain or snow over a long period of time. drought occurred in 1980-1984, and was accompanied by widespread displacement and localized famine. The majority of Lesotho’s population lives in rural areas, where 85% make a living from agriculture. The drought causes a lot of suffering among the people and by the end of the period, hundreds of people are deceased. By the most favourable counts and taking into account all types of forestry resources, coverage is unlikely to exceed a few percentage points of total surface area. In 2016, 17 percent of households in Lesotho reported using unprotected water sources. Despite the recurrence of drought, both its influence on rural subsistence communities’ support systems and the actions that enable structures of resilience remain poorly understood. Variations of estimates depend on the definition of forest employed. When a drought occurs, their food supply can shrink and their habitat can be damaged. If the drought affects more than one country, wars might erupt between two countries sharing the vital water resources. Sometimes the damage is only temporary and their habitat and food supply return to normal when the drought is over. Development Plan I (NSDP I). It can be caused by not receiving rain or snow over a period of time. The FAO helps 70,000 households in Lesotho with home gardening techniques and provides nutrition kits in an effort to optimize food production and improve availability. main river tributaries, experience recurrent episodes of drought, leading to the loss the unique plant communities and habitats supporting a variety of endemic species. Each incidence of drought stimulates a disaster resilience discussion that stalls without … As a result, only about 20 percent of their demand for food has been met causing harsh food shortages across the country. 2. Those in the green industry were no longer planting. Lesotho’s economy and population rely heavily on agriculture; however, in recent years there has been severe drought. Some of these countries, including Lesotho, Namibia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe, have declared national emergencies in response to drought conditions and will require more imports than usual. Lesotho has been faced with a problem of desertification since early 1900s. Lowland areas that typically have higher production have also performed poorly this season. Lesotho, like most of southern Africa, is experiencing climate-induced food insecurity. The drought disaster in Limpopo is at its worst. The drought that destroyed the Mayans The Mayan empire in Mesoamerica was hit by drought at the most vulnerable moment in its history. Lesotho is expected to experience a change in temperature and precipitation patterns, toward dryer and hotter conditions. Support It was issued by the Humanitarian Country Team. The depletion was attributed to the fragility of ecosystems resulting from intense solar radiation. • 37,44% settlements in South Africa are affected by drought • Real agricultural output was 9.2% lower in the first half of 2019 than in the corresponding period of 2018. Drought also affects the environment in many different ways. Lesotho is expected to experience the worst effects of the drought between 20 December 2015 and 20 January 2016. Lesotho Flash Appeal, November 2019 - April 2020 Format Appeal Source. Rapid population growth coincided with a … Lesotho is one of the least forested countries in Africa. Plants and animals depend on water, just like people. 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