Attachments
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
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The latest Post Deyr Integrated Phase Classification Analysis results indicate that large-scale, multi-sectoral assistance coupled with higher rainfall totals in the 2022 Deyr season compared to the past season will likely avert famine, but 6.5 million people in Somalia still face crisis (IPC 3) or worse acute food insecurity outcomes.
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WFP reached 3.9 million people with life-saving humanitarian food assistance in February, including 3.5 million people who received cash or in-kind support under general food assistance and another 423,000 vulnerable drought-affected people who were served under an expansion of the national safety net programme.
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WFP reached 821,000 people with treatment and malnutrition prevention support in February, including children under five and pregnant and lactating women.
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In response to the ongoing Laas Caanood crisis WFP dispatched food items supporting 34,000 conflict affected persons in the Sool and Togdheer regions with 471 mt of in-kind food.
SITUATION UPDATE
Following five consecutive failed rainy seasons, the ongoing drought is about to become the longest in Somalia’s history. Almost four million livestock have died, recent cereal harvests were between 32 and 75 percent below long-term averages, and the prices of key food staples continue to increase. The drought is compounding the impact of other climate shocks, coupled with conflict and instability that exacerbate the hunger crisis.
According to the latest Food Security Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) assessment results released in February, 5 million people are suffering from Crisis-level hunger or worse food security outcomes (IPC 3 and above) between January and March, including 96,000 who are facing Catastrophic levels of hunger (IPC 5). 6.5 million people are projected to face Crisis-level or worse food insecurity (IPC 3 and above) between April and June 2023, with 223,000 people likely to face Catastrophic hunger (IPC5) if the next rainy season fails and humanitarian assistance cannot reach those most in need. 1.8 million children under five are estimated to suffer from acute malnutrition in 2023, while 478,000 of them are likely to be facing life-threatening severe malnutrition.
New displacements within Somalia amounted to 234,000 in February 2023, a majority of which were conflict-induced (61 percent) and drought-induced (36 percent). Food is the priority need of 43 percent of these newly displaced people. The three regions receiving the highest number of new arrivals in February were Banadir followed by Nugaal and Togdheer regions. The total drought-induced displacements have exceeded 1.5 million since January 2021.
Potential onset of a sixth below-average rainy season from March–June 2023, combined with high food prices and political instability, may result in persistently poor household food, nutrition and income outcomes, and continued high levels of humanitarian need across the country.
The scale-up of humanitarian food assistance in 2022 – made possible through increased support from key donors – in combination with slight stabilization in market prices and marginally better-than-expected rainfall in the most recent rainy season (Deyr), has averted famine in Somalia; however, the situation remains critical. People living in new IDP sites in Baidoa and Mogadishu and in rural settlements in Buurhakaba district are still projected to face a higher risk of famine should the rainfall be inadequate, and humanitarian assistance fail to reach those in need. Continued support from the wider international community will be crucial to sustain the scale of life-saving food and nutrition assistance and to continue averting famine in Somalia.