A region in southern Somalia is at risk of famine, says a UN-sponsored report released today, the first time a part of the country has faced such a critical level of hunger since 2022.
One of the world’s most food insecure countries due to frequent droughts, conflict and poverty, Somalia most recently experienced famine in 2011 when some 250,000 people died and has reached the brink twice, in 2017 and 2022.
This time, international aid cuts and the impact of the US-Israeli war in Iran are complicating efforts to address food shortages caused by insufficient rainfall and ongoing insecurity.
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More than one in three young children in Burhacaba district of southern Somalia’s Bay region, which has an estimated population of around 200,000, suffer from acute malnutrition, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification report.
Famine occurs when at least 20 percent of households in an area face extreme food shortages, at least 30 percent of children suffer from acute malnutrition and two in 10,000 people die of hunger every day.
Famine is observed when at least 20 percent of households in an area face extreme food shortages.
The number of Somalis facing food insecurity crisis levels or worse is around six million.
This is lower than the 6.5 million reported in February but higher than the 5.5 million predicted for this period due to worse than expected rains.
Cuts in international aid under the US have also significantly reduced support for Somalia.
The report notes that humanitarian aid for the April-June period has increased significantly, but still only covers 12% of those facing crisis levels of food insecurity or worse.
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