The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has launched a four-day regional workshop to strengthen preparedness for the anticipated impacts of El Niño during the 2026/2027 rainfall season, with a focus on acting before climate-related risks escalate into humanitarian crises.
The workshop brings together governments, humanitarian agencies and development partners to assess potential risks and improve coordination on early interventions aimed at protecting vulnerable communities and their livelihoods.
Held under the theme “From Forecast to Consequence: Anticipating the Cascading Impacts of El Niño 2026/27 in Southern Africa,” the 2026 Disaster Preparedness and Response Planning Workshop was convened by the SADC Secretariat in Johannesburg.
The meeting is organised in collaboration with the European Union through its Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO), alongside the Regional Anticipatory Action Working Group (RAAWG).
Participants include representatives from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Start Network, UNICEF, the World Food Programme (WFP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and World Vision.
The discussions are focused on identifying potential threats during the coming rainfall season and determining whether existing preparedness systems can support timely action before communities experience severe consequences.
El Niño can alter rainfall patterns, increasing the risk of drought in parts of Southern Africa and putting pressure on agriculture, water supplies and food security. The scale and distribution of its effects, however, depend on regional climate conditions.
For countries whose economies and rural livelihoods depend heavily on rain-fed agriculture, early preparation is important to reduce potential losses to crops, livestock and household incomes.
The workshop aims to strengthen anticipatory action, an approach that uses forecasts and risk assessments to trigger interventions before a disaster occurs.
Such measures can help authorities and humanitarian organisations reach at-risk populations before conditions deteriorate.
The opening session featured remarks from representatives of RAAWG, DG ECHO and the SADC Secretariat.
Ms Pumeza Tyali, director of South Africa’s National Disaster Management Centre, officially opened the workshop on behalf of the South African government.
The meeting places emphasis on translating climate forecasts into practical decisions, including whether governments and humanitarian partners have the coordination mechanisms and resources needed to respond to emerging risks.
Its outcome is expected to inform regional preparedness planning for the 2026/2027 rainfall season, as SADC member states seek to reduce the potential humanitarian consequences of adverse climate conditions.