"A historic drought – the worst food crisis yet – has devastated more than 27 million lives across the region," said WFP spokesperson Tomson Phiri. "Approximately 21 million children are malnourished.
"October marks the beginning of the lean season in Southern Africa, and each month is expected to be worse than the last until next year's harvests in March and April. Crop failures and livestock losses are rampant, and many children are fortunate to receive just one meal daily."
Tens of millions depend on small-scale, rain-fed agriculture for sustenance and income.
Aid organizations warned of a potential disaster late last year as the El Niño phenomenon caused below-average rainfall in the region, exacerbated by rising temperatures from climate change.
A UN official stated in July that this is the worst drought to impact the region in a century, wiping out 70% of Zambia's harvest and 80% of Zimbabwe's, according to WFP's acting regional director for Southern Africa, Lola Castro.
The drought has also severely reduced hydropower capacity, causing prolonged electricity outages. Authorities in Zimbabwe and Namibia have resorted to wildlife culling to alleviate resource pressures.
In Namibia and Zimbabwe, wildlife, including elephants, has been killed to provide food for the starving population.
Scientists have indicated that sub-Saharan Africa is among the most vulnerable regions to climate change due to its heavy reliance on rain-fed agriculture and natural resources. Millions depend on a stable climate for their livelihoods, while impoverished nations struggle to fund resilience measures against climate impacts.
Experts warn that droughts and erratic rainfall patterns caused by climate change are harming crop yields, development, taste, and harvest times.