The World Bank has sanctioned a $208 million grant to assist Zambia in mitigating the severe impacts of the ongoing drought affecting the southern African region.
Announced by Zambia's Finance Ministry on Tuesday, this substantial financial aid aims to bolster the government's response to the devastating drought.
The grant will enable the Zambian government to extend direct cash transfers to more affected individuals, effectively doubling the monthly aid per household from approximately $8.30 to $16.60.
The project aims to protect the consumption needs of poor and vulnerable households in response to economic shocks.
Over the next 12 months, the grant is expected to benefit over 1.6 million households across 84 drought-impacted districts, with around 900,000 households already receiving assistance.
Southern Africa is grappling with its most severe drought in years, exacerbated by the El Niño climate phenomenon and higher average temperatures due to greenhouse gas emissions.
This drought has severely disrupted food production and livelihoods, leading Zambia, Malawi, and Zimbabwe to declare states of disaster.
The United Nations has labeled Zambia's current agricultural season as the "driest" in over four decades, with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reporting that over nine million people in 84 of Zambia's 117 districts are affected.
This World Bank grant represents a vital intervention in addressing the dire humanitarian needs resulting from the prolonged drought.
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