Namibia has approved the killing of hundreds of animals, including elephants, to feed people affected by the severe drought, according to a notice from the southern African nation’s government. Last month, the United Nations reported that almost half of Namibia’s population suffered from acute food insecurity because of a widely reported food crisis in the country.

In response to this, Namibia’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism announced on Monday that meat from the 723 animals to be culled will be distributed as part of a drought relief program. The measure seeks to alleviate the growing hunger crisis in the country.

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“The Ministry will contribute 723 animals, comprising 30 hippos, 60 buffalos, 50 impalas, 100 blue wilderbeasts, 300 zebras, 83 elephants, and 100 elands. The animals are sourced from national parks and communal areas with sustainable game numbers,” the ministry said in a press release.

“The culling is being conducted by professional hunters and safari outfitters contracted by the Ministry and conservancies in specific areas. To date, 157 animals comprising different species were hunted in Mangetti. National Park, 20 in Mahango, 70 in Kwando, 6 in Bufallo, and 9 in Mudumo, delivering 56875 kilogrammes of meat.”

Meanwhile, about 68 million people in Southern Africa are suffering the effects of an El Nino-induced drought, which has wiped out crops across the region, the regional bloc SADC said on Saturday. The drought, which started in early 2024, has hit crop and livestock production, causing food shortages and damaging the wider economies. Heads of state from the 16-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) were meeting in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, to discuss regional issues, including food security.

It is Southern Africa’s worst drought in years, owing to a combination of naturally occurring El Nino-when an abnormal warming of the waters in the eastern Pacific changes world weather patterns-and higher average temperatures produced by greenhouse gas emissions.

Countries including Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi have already declared the hunger crisis a state of disaster, while Lesotho and Namibia have called for humanitarian support.