Food insecurity in Somalia expected to worsen in coming months, UN warns

Food insecurity is expected to get worse for the remainder of this year in some drought-affected regions of Somalia, according the latest update from the United Nations humanitarian arm.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that income and food sources for poor urban households in the drought-affected regions of Hiraan, Galgaduud, Mudug, Nugaal, Sool, Sanaag, and Togdheer are strongly linked to livestock markets and trade, which are seriously affected by the drought.

Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) is prioritizing life-saving interventions such as targeted supplementary feeding programmes for many affected people.

However, due to the precarious food aid pipeline, the agency will have to phase out support to maternal and child health nutrition programmes in 12 centres in three of Somalia’s regions.

Last week WFP called on donors to help avert a looming humanitarian catastrophe in Somalia, where half the population – or some 3.8 million people – are in need of assistance.

It has urgently appealed for 217,000 metric tons of food, worth over $200 million, to feed 3.5 million people by the end of October when stocks will run-out.