Southern Madagascar is suffering from its worst drought in 40 years. In some areas, it hasn’t rained for over three years. Rivers have dried up, and winds have blown away dirt that used to be farmland.
The United Nations’ World Food Program (WFP) is warning that 1.14 million people in the area haven’t had enough food since last September.
In heavily affected areas, people are eating plant leaves, cactus fruit, and insects. Around half a million of those affected are children.
Many of the children are small for their age because they haven’t had enough food to grow normally.
The WFP hopes to raise $78.6 million to help prevent a disaster. The next planting season should begin in September, but no rains are expected. The WFP warns that up to 28,000 people could be starving by October.