El Niño is a climate phenomenon characterized by warmer than usual sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. In the past 20 years there have been seven El Niño events: 2002-03, 2004-05, 2006-07, 2009-10, 2014-15, 2015-16, and 2018-19. The impacts of El Niño on food and nutrition security depend on many factors and can range from minor to severe. While no El Niño year is identical, the events generally tend to result in dry conditions, high temperatures and below-normal rainfall to most of southern Africa1 ; with the important exception of the northern parts, which usually receive above average rains during El Niño: Tanzania, northern Mozambique, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). However, one of the strongest El Niño events (1997–1998) resulted in only a modest decrease in rainfall, while the weak El Niño of 1994–1995 resulted in drought.
This joint brief between FAO and WFP aims to highlight the impact of previous El Niño events on food security and nutrition and lessons learned in preparation of the 2024-2025 El Niño response.