Somalia is facing a severe hunger crisis, with new data showing that 4.4 million people could face acute food insecurity by April 2025. This alarming situation is driven by worsening drought, ongoing conflict, and soaring food prices, according to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis.
Currently, 3.4 million people are already experiencing crisis-level hunger (IPC3+), and this number is projected to rise to 4.4 million between April and June 2025, coinciding with anticipated below-average Gu rains. These harsh conditions threaten nearly a quarter of the population, increasing the risk of widespread hunger and malnutrition.
The Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), in collaboration with several United Nations agencies, has issued an urgent call for international assistance to avert a humanitarian catastrophe. This warning comes as Somalia continues to face the aftermath of the 2022 drought, which brought the nation to the brink of famine and claimed thousands of lives, nearly half of whom were children.
The communities most affected by this crisis include households with poor agricultural yields, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and pastoralists struggling with reduced livestock numbers and below-average earnings. The worsening situation is further exacerbated by ongoing conflicts and a significant decline in humanitarian funding, resulting in severe cuts to life-saving aid programs.
The United Nations has launched the 2025 Somalia Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, seeking USD 1.42 billion in funding. However, only 12.4 per cent of this appeal has been met, underscoring the urgent need for international solidarity and support. The funding shortfall has already forced aid agencies to scale back critical food assistance, nutrition support, water, sanitation services, and livelihood programs, putting millions at risk.
An estimated 1.7 million children under five are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition by December 2025, with nearly half a million at risk of severe acute malnutrition. The crisis is most severe in southern Somalia, which is experiencing the worst drought and insecurity. This region accounts for 64 percent of the overall malnutrition burden.
