Somalia: Drought, conflict and high food prices risk pushing 4.4 million people into hunger, The Federal Government of Somalia and United Nations (UN) warn
The federal governments of Somalia and the United Nations agencies warn that if there is not enough funds to provide adequate funding for humanitarian operations, the country – the country has been pushed to the brink of famine by a severe drought in 2022, killing thousands of people, and nearly half of children may face deep hunger again.
Today’s Somalia Disaster Management Agency (SODMA), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) (OCHA) (United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) (UNICEF) (UNICEF) (UNICEF) and UN World Food Program (WFP)’s latest comprehensive phase classification (3.4 million), 3.4 millionaires (WFP) appear in the 3.4 millionaires analysis, Hunger in Somalia (IPC3+). This figure is expected to rise to 4.4 million (23% of the population) between April and June 2025, which was below average at the time. antiquity Rain is a prediction.
“The worsening drought poses a serious threat to communities that have been in great difficulty and ongoing conflict. Urgent action is needed to save lives, protect livelihoods and prevent further suffering. “This time, we are not only facing the devastating effects of the drought, but also facing complex risks, including unprecedented declines in conflict and humanitarian funding. These overlapping crises require immediate, collective and coordinated action to enhance resilience in Somalia and protect our most vulnerable communities. ”
The worst-hit families include those who consumed their food stocks, those with low agricultural output that internally displaced persons (IDPs), and herders with limited livestock, with income from livestock sales below average.
“Drought, unstable rainfall and ongoing conflict are eroding livelihoods and bringing families deeper into the crisis,” said Etienne Peterschmitt, FAO’s national representative for Somalia. “FAO responds by expanding support for increased agricultural production, promoting climate-smart solutions and strengthening support for resilient agricultural systems. Through early warning systems and expected actions, we help communities prepare for shocks before escalating, thereby mitigating the worst effects of the food crisis.”
An acute shortage of funds has led to a reduction or reduction in life-saving plans. The United Nations calls for more urgent funding to expand food aid, nutrition support, water and sanitation services, and livelihood initiatives to mitigate the impact of the expected drought on Somalia. Today, Somalia’s humanitarian needs and response plan in 2025 requires US$1.42 billion, with only 12.4% of the funding.
“There are factors such as recurrent climate shocks, protracted conflicts, disease outbreaks and widespread poverty that have exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Somalia. Aid agencies are doing their best to save lives, but they urgently need enough funds to meet the most critical needs at this critical moment of Somalia.
By December 2025, an estimated 1.7 million children under the age of five are facing acute malnutrition. Of these children, 466,000 face severe acute malnutrition – a 9% increase compared to the same period last year. Nearly two-thirds of the total malnutrition burden (64%) are concentrated in southern Somalia, where drought and insecurity are the worst.
“Past climate events have shown that children are most affected, face severe nutrition and disease, increasing the risk of death and long-term developmental problems,” said Nisar Syed, UNICEF Somalia representative official. “As prevention is key, UNICEF provides clean water and sanitation facilities, provides micronutrients, trains caregivers to identify early signs of malnutrition and operate in remote areas. Given the recurring nature of these crises, we must emphasize a multisectoral approach when working with all stakeholders and governments to invest in resilience, anticipated actions and a strong health system.”
The IPC’s findings also confirmed that instability in rainfall in 2024 resulted in lower crop yields, rapid consumption of pastures and water sources, flooding of food crops and displacement of thousands of people.
“Repeated shocks such as drought put millions of Somalis at risk of hunger, and as food prices rise, harvests are reduced. Famine was narrowly avoided in 2022 due to massive humanitarian support, which once again provides immediate assistance when implementing long-term solutions. However, shortages of funds have forced us to prioritize and reduce aid at the worst times.
Distributed by Apo Group on behalf of the World Food Program (WFP).
