Somalia

While famine has been kept at bay, the situation in Somalia remains critical. A looming drought could push 1 million more Somalis into extreme hunger this year.
WFP/Geneva Costopulos

Hunger Crisis in Somalia

In late 2022, hunger in Somalia peaked at 6.7 million people and famine was projected during the country’s longest drought on record. A massive humanitarian scale-up led by the World Food Programme, combined with improved rainfall, prevented a famine. Now, hunger is rising again.

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A family takes shelter from the sun in Somalia WFP/Kevin Ouma
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Hunger Stats

Recurrent shocks such as droughts and floods have pushed millions of Somalis into hunger. Now, conflict, high food prices and another drought could push 1 million more people into crisis levels of hunger or worse by April 2025.

WFP’s Work in Somalia

As the largest humanitarian agency in Somalia, WFP rapidly responds during disasters to help families meet their basic needs.
Porters loading WFP food bags onto cargo ship.
Emergency Relief
WFP saves lives by providing food and cash assistance to crisis-affected communities, even in insecure areas where access is challenging.
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Nutrition
WFP provides specially fortified foods to help treat and prevent malnutrition in children and pregnant and breastfeeding women.
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Efrem, 30, teaches students at ARRA primary school in Sheder refugee camp. Nimo and her family fled Somalia 11 years ago, in 2009, due to increased conflict in the country. “We left because of violence and insecurity… when I saw my father, neighbours, and relatives killed in front of me, that’s when I decided to leave.” It was a sudden decision to leave, and they took only the clothes on their backs as they fled to safety. They now have eight kids, aged 9-22, and her youngest was born in the camp. Now they receive food and cash assistance from WFP. In Somalia, her and her husband were successful business owners – they had a small shop attached to their home and made between $1000-$1500 per month. Now, they receive the equivalent of $70 every month for their family of ten. While Nimo says there is no hope of returning home to Somalia, they hope to be resettled. All her children are in school, and the eldest has just finished university. Nimo has high hopes for her children and wants all her children to be educated. Her daughters, Rahma and Khadija, are enrolled in school in the camp where they attend classes every day (Mon-Fri). Nimo says her family’s biggest challenge is to survive; given the shortage of food, her and her husband only eat one time a day, so they can have enough food for their children. The second hardest thing about living in the camp is there’s nothing to do and sitting around idle is very hard for her and her husband. WFP provides Nimo’s family with both food and cash. Within the food rations they receive CSB+ (Super Cereal plus corn soya blend), pulses, vegetable oil, and salt. The cash they receive is 245 birr per person, per month – which for a family of ten is 2450 birr, or $70 USD for the family of ten each month (a little over $2.30 a day). Her children are also enrolled in the school in the camp, where they receive a daily meal of CSB+.
School Meals
WFP provides children with school meals. These meals provide critical nutrition for students as well as a safety net for families in crisis.
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Lastest News

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Nuuriya with her baby in Somalia WFP/Geneva Costopulos/2022
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