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Somalia Hunger Crisis: 6.5 Million Face Starvation as UN Warns of Funding Shortfall

UN officials warn that 6.5 million people in Somalia will face crisis levels of hunger through March, a sharp increase from earlier this year. The crisis is driven by consecutive failed rainy seasons, conflict, and large-scale displacement. The Food and Agriculture Organization reports the last main cereal harvest was 83% below average, devastating agriculture and livestock. Aid agencies face a severe funding shortage, threatening to cut life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable.

Key Points: Somalia Hunger Crisis: UN Warns 6.5 Million at Risk

  • 6.5 million face crisis hunger
  • Drought causes 83% crop loss
  • $85 million needed for urgent aid
  • 1.8 million children to face malnutrition
2 min read

One-third of Somalis to face hunger in March: UN officials

UN officials warn 6.5 million Somalis face crisis hunger levels by March due to drought and conflict, with urgent funding needed to avert catastrophe.

"Somalia is in the midst of a very complex hunger crisis - Ross Smith, WFP"

United Nations, Feb 26

Some 6.5 million people, or about a third of Somalia's population, will face crisis levels of hunger through March, an increase of 1.7 million since January, UN officials warned.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday at the UN headquarters via video link, World Food Programme (WFP) Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response Ross Smith said the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report for Somalia, released on Tuesday, confirmed fears that the humanitarian situation in Somalia has significantly worsened.

"Of these, two million of the most vulnerable women and children are expected to face severe hunger," with over 1.8 million children under the age of 5 to face acute malnutrition in 2026, he said.

Smith said Somalia is in the midst of a very complex hunger crisis, where two rainy seasons have failed, conflict and insecurity persist, and thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes in search of shelter, food and basic services.

Meanwhile, agencies in Somalia, including WFP, are facing a severe lack of resources, he warned, adding that without urgent funding, WFP's life-saving emergency food and nutrition assistance in the country will be forced to cut support to the most vulnerable and eventually come to an end soon, Xinhua news agency reported.

Rein Paulsen, director of the Office of Emergencies and Resilience with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), highlighted the drought that is having a devastating effect on Somalia's agriculture. "Concretely, this means widespread crop and livestock losses in addition to large-scale displacements of people."

As a result of the drought, the country's last main cereal harvest was 83 per cent lower than the long-term average between 1995 and 2025, and livestock births have also dropped, said Paulsen, stressing the urgency of life-saving assistance to protect lives and actions to prevent a collapse of rural farming pastoral livelihoods.

To respond to the situation, FAO needs $85 million to support a million of the most vulnerable, high-risk, underserved rural people at the moment, but it has just $6 million to date, he said.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

A
Arjun K
Climate change is hitting the most vulnerable the hardest. Two failed rainy seasons is a disaster for any agrarian society. India has faced droughts too, but our buffer stocks and PDS have saved millions. The international community needs to step up funding urgently.
R
Rohit P
The numbers are staggering. $85 million needed, only $6 million available? That's a massive gap. While we focus on our own development, we cannot turn a blind eye to such crises. Hope our government, through its development partnerships, can offer some support.
S
Sarah B
Living in Mumbai, it's hard to fathom this level of hunger. The part about 1.8 million children facing acute malnutrition is especially devastating. These agencies need consistent funding, not just when the news cycle picks it up. A sad situation all around.
V
Vikram M
With all due respect to the UN's work, where is the accountability for the local governance? Conflict and insecurity are mentioned as causes. Humanitarian aid is a band-aid if there's no political stability to build long-term resilience. A very complex crisis indeed.
M
Meera T
This reminds me of the stories my grandparents told about the Bengal famine. No one should go hungry in the 21st century. The focus on protecting rural farming livelihoods is key. Once that collapses, recovery takes generations. Let's hope the world listens.

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