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Millions of people face hunger in Horn of Africa amid frequent droughts

Wednesday, 09 February 2022 8:29 AM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 09 February 2022 8:29 AM ]

Shortages of water and pasture due to three consecutive failed rainy seasons have decimated crops and caused abnormally high livestock deaths in the north of Africa.

Millions of people are facing hunger in the Horn of Africa as droughts recur, according to the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP).

“Harvests are ruined, livestock are dying, and hunger is growing as recurrent droughts affect the Horn of Africa,” Michael Dunford, regional director in the WFP Regional Bureau for Eastern Africa, said on Tuesday.

Shortages of water and pasture due to three consecutive droughts in parts of south-central Somalia, southern and southeastern Ethiopia, and southeastern and northern Kenya have damaged the harvest and caused a surge in the deaths of livestock.

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In addition, the rise of food prices, inflation, and low demand for agricultural labor have had a negative impact on people's purchasing power of food.

To make matters worse, weather forecasts predict below-average rainfall in the coming months, diminishing hopes to alleviate the already dire economic conditions.

“Harvests are ruined, livestock are dying and families are bearing the consequences of increasingly frequent climate extremes,” Dunford warned, adding, “The statistics that I am seeing suggest that this is the driest this region has been in 40 years.”

“Droughts in the Horn of Africa are becoming more frequent and severe and are one of the key drivers of hunger across the region, devastating livelihoods and forcing families from their homes. These impacts reinforce the need for immediate humanitarian action and the importance of building the resilience of communities for the future.”

The lack of rains and water shortage is also driving displacement as families are forced to move in search of water and pasture, leading to conflicts.

“It’s shocking when you meet people and you hear their personal stories,” says Dunford on a video call from Nairobi. “If you meet a pastoralist who’s lost all their animals, it’s devastating.”

“The situation requires immediate humanitarian action and consistent support to build the resilience of communities for the future,” he insisted.

According to the UN agency, an estimated 5.7 million people are affected by severe drought and need food assistance in Ethiopia; an estimated 2.8 million people are in need of assistance in Kenya; and in Somalia, the people who are acutely food insecure are expected to increase from 3.5 million to 4.6 million by May if aid does not arrive.

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