Famine Warning in Somalia: 5 Things to Know

1. In 2011, famine in Somalia killed 260,000 people, half of whom were children. Today, as Somalia is crippled by its worst drought in 40 years as well as rising food prices and conflict, the UN is warning of famine in parts of Somalia within months.

2. More than half of children aged under five in Somalia are facing acute malnutrition with one in six suffering from the most deadly form of malnutrition.

3. New Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) figures said the number of children estimated to be suffering acute malnutrition had risen to 1.8 million, or 54.5%, which is an increase of 20% from previous forecasts.

4. Nearly 6.7 million people in Somalia—41% of the population—are expected to be battling widespread food shortages between October and December this year, which is an increase of nearly 2.4 million people from previous figures.

5. Four consecutive poor or failed harvests since 2020, escalating local and imported food prices, the deaths of more than three million livestock, and drought and conflict-induced population displacement have combined to create a life-threatening emergency.