Informing humanitarians worldwide 24/7 — a service provided by UN OCHA

Somalia

Somalia Key Message Update: Poor harvest prospects in southern Somalia as deyr season sees early end, December 2024

Attachments

Key Messages

  • Widespread Crisis (IPC Phase 3) and Emergency (IPC Phase 4) outcomes are expected to emerge in Somalia during the January to March jilaal dry season, following extremely poor October to December deyr rains and anticipated poor deyr harvests. Emergency (IPC Phase 4) outcomes are expected in settlements hosting internally displaced persons (IDPs) and in parts of agropastoral Bay and Bakool regions due to consecutive poor harvests, heightened competition for few employment opportunities, and eroded coping capacity from consecutive weather shocks and protracted conflict. The forecast below-average April to June gu season is expected to bring only marginal improvements in food access and pasture availability. If the gu rains are significantly below average, an increase in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) outcomes across southern agropastoral and central and northern pastoral areas is likely, as well as a surge in humanitarian assistance needs.
  • The 2024 deyr rains concluded early in December and cumulative seasonal rainfall was significantly below average. Following a late onset of the rains in October, a modest improvement in precipitation in November was too late to meaningfully support crop development, though it was able to slightly alleviate pasture conditions in some southern pastoral areas. However, as of December 25, vegetation conditions remain extremely poor for the end of the rainy season, with the most substantial negative anomalies observed in central regions, particularly coastal areas, as well as in parts of southern Somalia, including Bay, Bakool, Hiraan, and the Shabelle regions. The jilaal dry season is expected to be extremely harsh, with above-normal temperatures worsening already degraded pasture and low water availability. Tentative forecasts for the April to June gu season suggest below-average rainfall is most likely.
  • In southern agropastoral areas, particularly Bay Bakool Low Potential Agropastoral and Sorghum High Potential Agropastoral livelihood zones*,* Crisis (IPC Phase 3) persists due to the rapid depletion of food stocks from the 2024 gu harvest*,* combined with below-average deyr rains and reduced demand for labor opportunities, limiting access to food and income. In December, most households have access to below-average green harvests; however, in some areas, remaining food stocks from the previous gu off-season harvest are partially supporting household food consumption. Deyr main harvests, which typically begin in January, are anticipated to be poor or even fail in several agropastoral areas due to the significantly below-average rains.According to the Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU), despite the depleting food stocks, maize and sorghum prices in Qorioley and Baidoa, respectively, remain relatively stable month-on-month in November and 15 to 20 percent below the five-year average.
  • In the northwestern agropastoral areas, Crisis (IPC Phase 3) and Stressed (IPC Phase 2) outcomes are anticipated, with an expansion of areas facing Crisis (IPC Phase 3) through at least May 2025 due to rapid depletion of the below-average 2024 karan harvests. Given many households prematurely harvested karan crops for fodder due to poor and stunted crop development, household food stocks are atypically low in the post-harvest period in December. According to FSNAU, food prices remain extremely elevated in Togdheer Region. In Burco market, imported rice prices reached a 15-year high at 8,250 Somaliland Shilling (SLSH), 50 percent higher compared to the same time last year and 55 percent higher than the five-year average. Similarly, sorghum prices are 45-50 percent higher than last year and the five-year average. Increased market demand is driving up prices, reducing the purchasing power of poor households, and limiting access to food.
  • In central and northern pastoral areas, Stressed (IPC Phase 2) and Crisis (IPC Phase 3) outcomes persist in December, but food insecurity is expected to deteriorate to widespread Crisis (IPC Phase 3) during the jilaal dry season, with the number of households facing Emergency (IPC Phase 4) anticipated to increase through May 2025. Households continue to face below-average access to food and income due to poor livestock productivity during the below-average deyr season. While livestock births occurred in November, the dwindling dry pasture availability and deteriorating livestock body conditions reduced milk availability for consumption and sales. Additionally, depleted pastures and atypically high water prices are resulting in livestock migration towards alternate water sources. Deyr rainfall deficits have most severely impacted Addun Pastoral and Coastal Deeh Pastoral livelihood zones of central regions, where households were already facing depleted livestock assets and a high debt burden from the historic 2020 to 2023 drought.