Updated Brief on El Niño impacts in the Limpopo River Basin

The LIMCOM Secretariat in collaboration with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), has released the second update on El Niño impacts in the Limpopo River Basin.

This follows forecasts indicating that the region is likely to experience a strong El Niño event during the coming season.

Key recommended actions for Member States include:

• Protect the reserve. High storage now is no guarantee for 2027: agree drawdown limits and contingency triggers with farming communities, municipalities and other water users now, so allocations can be tightened early rather than late if the dry tilt firms up.
• Prepare for heat. Heat- and drought-tolerant varieties, mulching, and adjusted planting windows help reduce pressure on water and soils.
• Reassess monthly. Rainfall confidence may not improve; treat heat and stored water as the planning.

You can read more about the updated brief HERE

The full technical report is also available HERE

These monthly briefs form part of LIMCOM’s ongoing efforts to support evidence-based decision-making and enhance preparedness for climate variability and extreme weather events across the basin.

Together, we can help mitigate the impacts of the El Niño.