Somalia: ‘We cannot wait for famine to be declared; we must act now’

7.1 million people face acute food insecurity

213,000  people face catastrophic hunger

12.3 million population

 

After a gradual recovery from the food insecurity and famine of 2011, Somalia’s food security is once again under threat.  The situation is worsening in rural areas following consecutive seasons of poor rainfall and low river water levels. These have resulted in near total crop failures, reduced rural employment opportunities, widespread shortage of water and pasture – with consequent increases in livestock deaths.  As local staple food prices continue to rise sharply and livestock prices decrease significantly, access to food is rapidly diminishing among poor families.

As of August 2022, 7.1 million people cannot meet their daily food requirements today and require urgent humanitarian assistance, with more than 200,000 facing catastrophic hunger.  An estimated 1.5 million children under 5 suffer from acute malnutrition, of which 386,000 face a high risk of disease and death.

 

_{source: wfp, UN news}