Across the Horn of Africa 鈥� in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia 鈥撎�22 million听people currently face a severe hunger crisis after four consecutive failed rainy seasons.听
Alarmingly, this figure is expected to increase, with a fifth poor rainy season forecast by the end of the year.听
Disruptions to grain supplies and rising prices caused by the war in Ukraine have pushed more and more people to the brink 鈥� in regions already reeling from skyrocketing costs resulting from the intersection of climate change, conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic.听
鈥淲e don鈥檛 have the luxury of just focusing on what needs to be done today,鈥� says Michael Dunford, the World Food Programme鈥檚 Regional Director for East Africa.听
听鈥淲e also need to start preparing for the next shock 鈥� whether that鈥檚 the next drought, the next flood or the next crisis.鈥�
鈥淲e also need to start preparing for the next shock 鈥� whether that鈥檚 the next drought, the next flood or the next crisis鈥澨齭ays Michael Dunford, the World Food Programme鈥檚 Regional Director for East Africa.
In听Ethiopia, food prices are at an all-time high and have been since the height of the pandemic. Pastoralists in the southern and eastern lowlands of the country have powerlessly watched another predator 鈥� drought 鈥� reduce their livestock to skin and bones.
Bergi witnessed the scorching weather decimate her crops and animals. She lives in the South Omo zone, in Ethiopia鈥檚 southeast, near the border with Kenya.
She made it to the Eria Ambule health post with her 11-month baby when their health started to deteriorate.听
Behailua, is one of the nurses who works there, treating children aged under-5 and their mother鈥檚 suffering malnutrition. 鈥淚 observe big changes a few days after they鈥檝e been introduced to the nutritional food supplements,鈥� she says. 鈥淢others and children have started to gain weight and are slowly getting back on their feet.鈥澨�
Some 3.9 million children are severely malnourished in Ethiopia alone, or roughly half all those suffering from malnutrition across the Horn of Africa.听
鈥淭his is the worst drought, the driest it鈥檚 ever been in 40 years. So, we are entering a whole new phase in climate change,鈥� says WFP鈥檚 Michael Dunford
The climate crisis that has uprooted more than 1 million people. Today, they are on the move in search of food, pasture, water and alternative livelihoods.
Bergi witnessed the scorching weather decimate her crops and animals. She lives in the South Omo zone, in Ethiopia鈥檚 southeast, near the border with Kenya.
She made it to the Eria Ambule health post with her 11-month baby when their health started to deteriorate.听
Behailua, is one of the nurses who works there, treating children aged under-5 and their mother鈥檚 suffering malnutrition. 鈥淚 observe big changes a few days after they鈥檝e been introduced to the nutritional food supplements,鈥� she says. 鈥淢others and children have started to gain weight and are slowly getting back on their feet.鈥澨�
Some 3.9 million children are severely malnourished in Ethiopia alone, or roughly half all those suffering from malnutrition across the Horn of Africa.听
鈥淭his is the worst drought, the driest it鈥檚 ever been in 40 years. So, we are entering a whole new phase in climate change,鈥� says WFP鈥檚 Michael Dunford
The climate crisis that has uprooted more than 1 million people. Today, they are on the move in search of food, pasture, water and alternative livelihoods.
Scaling up
To avert a humanitarian catastrophe, WFP has scaled up its operations to reach 8.5 million people across the Horn of Africa with food and cash assistance as well as nutrition support for young children and mothers.听
鈥淲hat we鈥檙e witnessing is a threefold increase in the number of malnutrition cases. There鈥檚 an urgent need to invest in interventions to prevent malnutrition so that we don鈥檛 lose an entire generation to the drought,鈥� adds Dunford.听
It鈥檚 a similar picture in the tiny coastal country of听Djibouti.听
鈥淏efore the drought, I had a total of 20 goats,鈥� says Fatouma Daoud, a farmer from a remote area northwest of the capital. 鈥淚 started selling them one by one to feed my family, but it was never enough. Now, I鈥檓 left with a few and they鈥檝e started to be-come weak and I鈥檓 not sure how long they鈥檒l live.鈥澨�
Extreme food and water scarcity have killed around 7 million livestock across the Horn of Africa, imperiling livelihoods of pastoralists such as Bergi and Fatouma, who rely on them for food and income. The fragile ecosystems where they live, and the way of life these lands have sustained for generations, are gradually collapsing due to erratic climatic patterns.
鈥淭he only water source we all have access to is a couple of water forages (pond-like water points) that are now becoming emptier by the day,鈥� says Fatouma.
In a country heavily reliant on imported food 鈥� which accounts for 90 percent of Djibouti鈥檚 supplies 鈥� high food and energy costs are forcing families like Fatouma鈥檚 to eat fewer or less nutritious meals.
"Market prices have risen even more than before, and we have to adapt in any way possible鈥� she adds.听
Over the past year, the average monthly price of the local food basket has increased by nearly half across the broader East Africa region. In Kenya, where inflation tops 15 percent, the drought coupled with high fertilizer prices is expected to shrink regional cereal production by roughly 16 percent, triggering broader economic spinoffs. The prices of maize and sorghum in Somalia are triple what they were a year ago.
鈥淭he drought has resulted in unimaginable suffering amid the traditional nomadic population. We鈥檝e seen up to 75 percent of households eating less, resulting in in-creased malnutrition rates鈥� says Mary Njoroge, WFP Country Representative in Djibouti.
鈥淲e鈥檙e doing all that we can 鈥� should additional fund be available, we are planning to scale up our operations to reach 90,000 people in the worst affected areas of the country with food and cash support, so mothers don鈥檛 need to leave their children hungry.鈥�
Climate-smart Investments
Using weather forecasts and innovative approaches, WFP has set up early-warning systems in Ethiopia and Somalia, where people receive life-saving information and cash payments, enabling them to be prepared before disasters strike. 听
WFP is also investing in sustainable solutions to make communities resilient to disasters. We鈥檙e building irrigation canals and culverts and establishing community and household gardens.听
As听碍别苍测补鈥檚听hunger soars amid the protracted drought, for example, farmer Abdi Raman is staying afloat in northeastern Garissa County, thanks to a solar-powered pump installed by the WFP and the local government.
鈥淚鈥檝e been able to feed fodder to my seven cows and keep them alive even during the drought,鈥� Abdi says of the pump which also irrigates his crops, drawing water from a local river.听
Now, he鈥檚 planting his second crop of sweet melon, or honeydew. During the last harvest, in April, he earned US$ 430, selling the melons in the local market.听
In听Somalia, WFP supported women like Muhuba Hassan Warsame by providing them with a plot of land and resources to kick-start their household gardens. 听
鈥淭his land was barren at first, but with the farming tools, we鈥檝e started growing beans, tomatoes, green pepper, and okra,鈥� Mahuba says. 鈥淚 sell them in the local market, and with the income, I鈥檝e been able to feed my children healthy food 鈥� even during the drought.鈥澨�
WFP urgently needs US$418 million over the next six months to support those most in need in the Horn of Africa, and to prevent widespread loss of lives.
