# FAO/GIEWS Special Alert No. 352: Southern Africa El Niño-linked drought to cause cereal production declines and spur a surge in import needs, 23 April 2024 - Mozambique | ReliefWeb

> FAO/GIEWS Special Alert No. 352 says El Niño-linked drought has damaged 2024 cereal crops across Southern Africa, with harvests expected below average from May and recovery considered negligible. Import requirements are forecast to rise, with supplies likely sourced from outside the region, and acute food insecurity could worsen in 2024/25.

- Date: 2024-04-23 · published 2024-04-23T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: weather · region Southern Africa · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/30654-fao-giews-special-alert-no-352-southern-africa-el-nino-linked-drought-to-cause
- Commodities: [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md), [Wheat (SRW)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/WHEAT.md)

## Why it matters

A sharp rise in import needs from outside Southern Africa would tighten export availability and support maize and wheat prices, especially as the region's harvest shortfall is locked in.

## Read by commodity

- CORN: bullish ▲
- WHEAT: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2024-11-13 | [WFP Regional Bureau for Southern Africa: El Niño Situation Report #3, November 2024 - Zimbabwe \| ReliefWeb](https://feedsoft.ai/events/27328-wfp-regional-bureau-for-southern-africa-el-nino-situation-report-3-november.md) | -0.5% | +1.0% |
| CORN | 2024-04-08 | [GEOGLAM CROP MONITOR SPECIAL ALERTS - SOUTHERN AFRICA EL NIñO INDUCED DROUGHT - GEOGLAM - Group on Earth Observations Global Agriculture Monitoring](https://feedsoft.ai/events/30652-geoglam-crop-monitor-special-alerts-southern-africa-el-nino-induced-drought.md) | -1.2% | -1.0% |
| CORN | 2019-04-17 | [To manage El Nino-related crop distress in eastern and southern Africa, invest in drought-tolerant seeds and better soil and water care – CIMMYT](https://feedsoft.ai/events/59511-to-manage-el-nino-related-crop-distress-in-eastern-and-southern-africa-invest.md) | -1.9% | +0.2% |
| CORN | 2018-08-24 | [FAO and WFP concerned about the impact of drought on the most vulnerable in Central America - El Salvador \| ReliefWeb](https://feedsoft.ai/events/63457-fao-and-wfp-concerned-about-the-impact-of-drought-on-the-most-vulnerable-in.md) | -0.9% | +0.4% |
| CORN | 2024-04-10 | [Southern Africa drought: Impacts on maize production \| IFPRI](https://feedsoft.ai/events/30648-southern-africa-drought-impacts-on-maize-production-ifpri.md) | +0.1% | +2.3% |
| WHEAT | 2023-11-30 | [Forecasts of a decrease in the production of wheat and rapeseed in the EU in 2024/25 MY support quotations](https://feedsoft.ai/events/33128-forecasts-of-a-decrease-in-the-production-of-wheat-and-rapeseed-in-the-eu-in.md) | +1.2% | +0.0% |
| WHEAT | 2026-09-04 | [El Niño drives crop failure in Central America and East Africa and threatens the next season in Southern Africa, East Africa, Western South America, and Southeast Asia - Joint Research Centre](https://feedsoft.ai/events/17395-el-nino-drives-crop-failure-in-central-america-and-east-africa-and-threatens.md) | +1.4% | +0.4% |
| WHEAT | 2023-08-07 | [El Niño: Anticipatory Action and Response Plan, August-December 2023 - Mitigating the expected impacts of El Niño-induced climate extremes on agriculture and food security - World \| ReliefWeb](https://feedsoft.ai/events/34472-el-nino-anticipatory-action-and-response-plan-august-december-2023-mitigating.md) | +0.5% | -6.9% |

## Sources

- reliefweb.int: https://reliefweb.int/report/mozambique/faogiews-special-alert-no-352-southern-africa-el-nino-linked-drought-cause-cereal-production-declines-and-spur-surge-import-needs-23-april-2024

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.