Nearly a quarter of Somalia’s population is facing severe food insecurity, with 1.85 million children under five at risk of acute malnutrition, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Thursday.
The WFP highlighted the country’s grim climate outlook, with La Niña and a negative Indian Ocean Dipole expected to prolong erratic rainfall and worsen drought conditions. “These factors are likely to intensify drought in the north, impede recovery in the south, and increase the risk of crop failures, livestock losses, and water scarcity,” the agency said.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) also noted that drought conditions, already severe in northern regions, are spreading to central and southern Somalia.
Fourth consecutive poor rainfall season
Northern regions including Nugaal, Mudug, Bari, and Sanaag are enduring the fourth consecutive season of below-average rainfall. UNOCHA warned that millions remain at risk of worsening hunger and malnutrition, particularly due to funding shortfalls.
Food assistance is projected to drop sharply in November, with only 350,000 people expected to receive aid, down from 1.1 million in August. Water prices have also surged, rising from $12 to $15 for a 200-litre barrel, placing further strain on nearly 35,000 displaced people in parts of Puntland.
Somalia has faced repeated droughts over recent years, including five consecutive failed rainy seasons between late 2020 and 2022. The resulting 2023 drought left 5 million people in acute food insecurity. The country also experienced one of the worst famines in recent history in 2011, which claimed more than 26,000 lives, according to the UN.
