Drought is depriving millions of Somalis of enough to eat, the nation’s president said in an appeal for international aid. The Famine Early Warning Systems Network, created by the USAID, said famine is possible in Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen, all in East Africa. Armed conflict has aggravated the effects of drought.
The UN humanitarian coordinator for Somalia said 5 million people, or half the population, are short of food because of poor rains and fighting between the government and the al-Shabab militants, reported Voice of America. This is the second severe drought in Somalia since 2011, when an estimated 260,000 people died. Somalia has endured two poor harvests in a row and forecasts are grim for the upcoming April-June growing season, said FEWS NET.
Nearly one-third of the population in South Sudan needs emergency aid, says FEWS NET. Armed conflict has disrupted planting and harvesting while driving food prices to exorbitant levels. “Further deterioration in food security is likely during an extended lean season (February-July), as widespread insecurity continues to limit livelihoods, disrupt trade and block humanitarian access.”
“Conflict in Yemen is the primary driver of the largest food security emergency in the world, with 7 to 10 million people in crisis or worse, and in need of urgent humanitarian assistance,” said FEWS NET. “Of this total, at least 2 million are in emergency and face an increased risk of mortality.”
The food security alerts for Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen this month follow a mid-December warning that famine may have hit parts of Nigeria, with the risk of starvation continuing in 2017.