Nairobi, Feb 25, (dpa/GNA) – The number of people suffering from acute food shortages in Somalia has doubled within a year to 6.5 million, a global hunger monitor warned.
The figure comes from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), an initiative of UN bodies and relief agencies.
The report issued Tuesday said, around 1.8 million Somali children are at risk of acute malnutrition. Somalia has a population of about 19 million.
Under the IPC’s five-level alert system, parts of Somalia are currently classified as being in Phases 3 and 4, which correspond to “crisis” and “emergency” levels of food insecurity.
About 2 million people are in Phase 4. The fifth and highest level is “famine” conditions.
The deterioration in food security has been driven by prolonged drought and rising food prices. Somalia’s government declared a drought emergency in late 2025.
Ongoing insecurity in large parts of the country, where the Islamist militant group al-Shabaab is active, has further compounded the situation.
The Horn of Africa nation has been severely affected by climate change and endured a major drought in 2022.
GNA