Mozambique’s National Disaster Management Institute (INGD) has identified a funding requirement of over 18 million meticais, approximately 280,000 US dollars, to address the drought in the southern province of Gaza. According to AllAfrica, this funding is intended to respond to the El Niño phenomenon, which is expected to impact 422,000 households in the region. The agency stated that these numbers guide the mobilization of aid for at-risk residents.
The 2026/27 rainy season outlook indicates normal rainfall in northern provinces such as Nampula, Cabo Delgado, and Niassa. However, Club of Mozambique reported that a risk of severe drought exists in 76 districts across the southern provinces of Maputo, Gaza, and Inhambane, as well as the central provinces of Sofala, Manica, and Tete. This regional pattern is attributed to the influence of the El Niño climate phenomenon.
To mitigate these impacts, the Mozambican government announced a 77 million US dollar investment for building and repairing water systems. This initiative is part of a broader strategy addressing a weather pattern that could affect approximately 5.3 million people nationwide. The total budget stands at 401.8 million US dollars, with 238.2 million already secured and 163.6 million still needed.
In Gaza, authorities have pre-positioned roughly 40 tonnes of supplies, with more expected to arrive. The province has established 282 risk management committees involving roughly 5,000 people to coordinate responses. AllAfrica noted that the lowest-impact scenario involves strong winds and drought, potentially affecting 320,000 households.
Current heatwaves have pushed temperatures in Gaza to between 39 and 40 degrees Celsius, causing peanut and maize crops to wither. Despite these challenges, many communities have turned to cassava cultivation to mitigate the dry spell’s impact. Gaza Governor Alfeu Cuna stated that the province projects 2.8 million tonnes of agricultural output for the 2026/2027 season, a 10 percent rise from the previous year.