IBTimes UK visited communities in Mozambique Tete's province, where vulnerable people are going hungry due to a drought that has hit several countries across Southern Africa. Thousands of households have seen their harvests depleted due to lack of rainfalls for two consecutive seasons.

Crops including maize, a staple food in the country, are not available due to the devastating drought, which has been linked to warm water in the Pacific Ocean, a phenomenon known as El Nino, exacerbated by climate change.

World Vision in one of the charities helping communities affected by lack of food. Among other things, the organisation has been running food deliveries, it has introduced an electronic card system to purchase food, it provides malnutrition screening programmes and distributes drought-resistant seeds to farmers.

Fears are increasing that Mozambique, one of Africa's poorest nations, has been invaded by another crop-eating pest, known as army worm, which has already spread to several countries such as South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia. The country is already battling against a domestic crop-eating bush cricket, the Spiny Devil Katydid.


IBTimes UK travelled to Mozambique courtesy of World Vision UK. Click here for more information about the charity's work in Mozambique.


Mozambique drought
A woman from the Cachenge community waits to collect foods she bought at a food fair organised by World Vision as part of a DfID-funded project to help people in drought-affected areas – Mozambique's Tete province, March 2017 Ludovica Iaccino for IBTimes UK
Mozambique drought
A woman from the Cachenge community gives her malnourished child water and sugar after attending a malnutrition screening service organised by charity World Vision – Mozambique's Tete province, March 2017 Ludovica Iaccino for IBTimes UK
Mozambique drought
A farmer tells IBTimes UK how the drought has impacted his harvests and what he thinks about drought-resistant seeds distributed by World Vision Ludovica Iaccino for IBTimes UK
Malnutrition screening in Mozambique
A mother and her children attend a malnutrition screening service carried out by World Vision in the Cachenge community, in Mozambique's Tete province, in February 2017 Ludovica Iaccino for IBTimes UK
Mozambique drought
Teachers at a school in the Changara District, in Mozambique's Tete province, use theatre to educate pupils on topics such as child marriage and the importance of hygiene – March 2017 Ludovica Iaccino for IBTimes UK
Mozambique drought
A woman from the Changara district tells IBTimes UK how the drought and lack of access to clean water has affected her and her family – Mozambique's Tete province, March 2017 Ludovica Iaccino for IBTimes UK
Mozambique drought
A mother and her child attend a malnutrition screening service carried out by World Vision in the Cachenge community, in Mozambique's Tete province, in March 2017 Ludovica Iaccino for IBTimes UK
Mozambique drought
People in the Changara district receive a water pump by charity World Vision, as part of a project that promotes adequate hygiene and access to clean water – Mozambique's Tete province, March 2017 Ludovica Iaccino for IBTimes UK
Mozambique drought
A woman from the Changara district prepares to fetch water from a water pump given to the community by charity World Vision, as part of a project that promotes adequate hygiene and access to clean water – Mozambique's Tete province, March 2017 Ludovica Iaccino for IBTimes UK
Anabela Arnaldo
Pupils listen to teacher Anabela Arnaldo at a school in the Changara District, in Mozambique's Tete province, in March 2017
Mozambique drought
People from the Cachenge community attend a food fair organised by World Vision as part of a DfID-funded project to help people in drought-affected areas - Mozambique's Tete province, March 2017 Ludovica Iaccino for IBTimes UK