In Zumbare, a rural village of thatched huts in eastern Zimbabwe, the rooftops shimmer under the heat. Riverbeds have run dry, and the surrounding fields are filled with the skeletal remains of maize stalks that failed to mature.
‘There is nothing left to grow, and our boreholes have no water’, says Sibongile Mupfukura, as she shelters under a large tree.
Along with other villagers, she is lining up to receive the monthly ration of beans, dried fish, cooking oil and other necessities distributed by CARE, one of the aid groups funded by the European Union here.
‘Without this food, I don’t know what we would do’, Sibongile says.
Zimbabwe, like many parts of southern Africa, has been facing one of its worst droughts in decades during the 2024–2025 season, exacerbated by the El Niño climate phenomenon. Increased temperatures, unpredictable rains and extreme weather events have resulted in widespread food insecurity and acute malnutrition, affecting millions of people across the region.
As in most Zimbabwean villages, maize is a staple crop and a key source of food and income for the people of Zumbare. A bag of 50 kilos typically sells for (US) $15.
‘That’s usually enough to pay for a small amount of meat and school fees for our children’, says Memory Mariramyika, another villager. ‘But all our stocks are gone.’
Water scarcity is another daily struggle. Boreholes have either broken down or dried up due to excessive use, forcing families to spend significant time searching for water.
‘We have to walk for hours every day to fetch water from the river, Sibongile says. ‘But we can never carry enough.’
The drought has also led to increased social tension. Incidents of domestic and sexual violence, child marriages and crime have risen as families grapple with poverty and food shortages.
Together with her colleagues in Musasa, an EU-supported women’s organisation, Tariro Chipepe helps survivors of violence by talking through their experiences or by referring them to hospitals and other specialised care.
‘When there’s a drought or other crisis, we see that families argue more and that levels of violence in the homes increase’, she says. ‘A hungry man is an angry man.’
To help alleviate some of the food shortages in the hardest-hit areas, the EU’s partners Action Against Hunger (ACF) and Nutrition Action Zimbabwe have organised local community groups, tasked with training people in finding alternative food sources.
‘We teach communities to grow and cook sorghum and millet, which is more drought-resistant’, explains Edson Gumi-Mukanyi, a local farmer and one of the group’s members.
‘There are also plenty of alternative foods to be found in the forest, such as fruit and roots. In addition, termites, crickets and other insects are a great source of protein.’
The drought has compounded an already fragile situation in Zimbabwe, which has long faced chronic poverty. A significant portion of the population lives below the poverty line, struggling to meet basic needs such as food, healthcare and education.
‘While many of Zimbabwe’s problems are chronic, the EU is focusing on mitigating the effects of natural shocks’, said Silvya Bolliger, who oversees the EU’s humanitarian programmes in Zimbabwe.
Although food distributions are lifesaving in times of crisis, the EU’s long-term support includes preparing communities to fight epidemics, including cholera, and providing people with information, cash or shelter materials to better prepare for cyclones, floods and droughts.
‘It will alleviate a lot of suffering.’
