{"id":20143,"date":"2026-08-13T12:07:03","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T12:07:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sooha.org\/en\/?p=20143"},"modified":"2026-08-18T12:16:29","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T12:16:29","slug":"somalia-faces-drought-and-hunger-amid-rising-displacement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sooha.org\/en\/2026\/08\/13\/somalia-faces-drought-and-hunger-amid-rising-displacement\/","title":{"rendered":"Somalia faces drought and hunger amid rising displacement"},"content":{"rendered":"

BAIDOA \u2013\u00a0<\/strong>The humanitarian consequences of the prolonged drought in Somalia are deepening, as thousands of families are being forced to leave their rural areas after exhausting their supplies of water, food, livestock and sources of income, while levels of food insecurity continue to rise and the capacity of the humanitarian response to meet growing needs declines. Baidoa, in Bay region, has emerged as one of the main destinations for families fleeing drought, insecurity and food shortages, amid concerns that the continuing crisis could lead to further deterioration in the coming months.<\/p>\n

The Associated Press reported on Wednesday on testimonies from families who arrived in Baidoa after difficult journeys from drought-affected areas. Among them was the family of Lol Mohamed, who arrived in the city on August 3 with her five children after a journey of nearly two weeks that began in Saakow in Middle Juba region, more than 300 kilometers away, moving through several areas in search of food, water and a safer place to settle.<\/p>\n

According to figures cited in the report, around two million people are facing emergency levels of food insecurity, according to Plan International, more than double the number recorded last year. The organization, together with the Somali Disaster Management Agency, is calling for increased international assistance to address growing needs, as years of drought, conflict and economic pressures have weakened the ability of rural communities to withstand the crisis and preserve their livelihoods.<\/p>\n

Baidoa is receiving large numbers of displaced people who have gathered in extensive settlements on the outskirts of the city, while newly displaced families face growing difficulties in accessing safe water, food and basic services. According to Plan International, the city hosts around 1.6 million people, with displaced people accounting for nearly half of that population, while one in five households lacks reliable access to water. This forces many displaced families to purchase trucked water at high prices beyond their financial means.<\/p>\n

The effects of the drought are not limited to displacement and the loss of livelihoods, but are directly affecting children as cases of malnutrition and treatment needs increase. Data from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification released in May showed that around half of children under five in Somalia were facing acute malnutrition, while Plan International, citing Save the Children, reported that the number of children receiving treatment for the most severe forms of malnutrition in Baidoa had approached three times its level six months earlier.<\/p>\n

Dr. Omar Abdulkareem, a nutrition specialist in Baidoa, said malnutrition was widespread in the area and that large numbers of patients arriving at treatment facilities were suffering from malnutrition, noting that cases were coming from Bay region as well as neighboring Bakool and Gedo regions. These pressures are accompanied by other health risks, including diphtheria, measles, malaria, cholera and acute diarrhea, further increasing the burden on health facilities in areas receiving growing numbers of displaced people.<\/p>\n

Concerns are also increasing that affected families could face another climate shock during the coming rainy season after the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization announced that the probability of El Ni\u00f1o conditions developing from the middle of this year exceeds 90 percent, with their effects expected to intensify during the October-to-December rainy season, potentially increasing the risk of heavy rainfall and flooding. Such conditions could damage crops and homes, contaminate water sources and force more families into displacement, at a time when many communities have yet to recover from the effects of the prolonged drought.<\/p>\n

Somalia faces recurring cycles of drought, flooding and climate shocks, whose effects in recent years have combined with conflict, rising living costs and declining sources of income, weakening the ability of millions of families to withstand crises in their places of origin and forcing large numbers of them to move toward cities and humanitarian gathering centers. With humanitarian response efforts under increasing pressure because of funding shortages, there is a pressing need to sustain life-saving assistance in food, water, nutrition and health, while strengthening early preparedness for climate risks and supporting livelihoods. Such measures are essential to limiting further displacement and preventing recurring crises from developing into more severe and prolonged emergencies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BAIDOA \u2013\u00a0The humanitarian consequences of the prolonged drought in Somalia are deepening, as thousands of families are being forced to leave their rural areas after exhausting their supplies of water, food, livestock and sources of income, while levels of food insecurity continue to rise and the capacity of the humanitarian response to meet growing needs …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20144,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20143","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-environment-and-disasters","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t