Nearly 6.6 million Somalis face acute food crisis-report

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: Nearly 6.6 million Somalis are at risk of acute food crisis despite relative improvement in rainfall forecast and decline in food prices, aid agencies and technical experts have warned.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) said in a brief that the situation in Somalia still remains grim noting that 1.8 million children are expected to be acutely malnourished, including 477,700 children who are expected to be severely malnourished.

“At national level, approximately 6.6 million people across Somalia are expected to face Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse acute food insecurity outcomes through June 2023,” the brief said.

The brief which is drafted by a team of 42 technical experts, representing 14 institutions among them Somali government line ministries, NGOs and the UN notes that ‘’overall, levels of acute food insecurity and malnutrition remain high in Somalia following the impacts of persistent drought since late 2020.

The brief observes that agropastoral communities in Burhakaba district (Bay region), internally displaced people (IDPs) in Mogadishu settlements, and IDPs in Baidoa settlements are identified as facing a Risk of Famine between April and June 2023

It, however, notes that the results of the March assessments indicate that more extreme outcomes in the surveyed areas are being mitigated by sustained humanitarian assistance, declining food prices, and access to agricultural and casual labor employment and other income-earning opportunities.

The cumulative impacts of protracted drought have led to loss of life and severe damage to livelihoods, IPC said adding that, “Consecutive poor-to-failed harvests among farmers and declining livestock holdings among pastoralists have contributed to poor food security and nutrition outcomes due to losses of main food and income source.’