Written by: Hussein Ahmed

Somalia is once again facing the specter of famine as the humanitarian situation deteriorates due to recurring droughts, ongoing conflicts, and declining international aid funding. The country is among the most food-insecure in the world, having already experienced a catastrophic famine in 2011 that claimed the lives of approximately 250,000 people, and nearly repeating the scenario in 2017 and 2022.

6 million Somalis face starvation

In the latest warning, the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report revealed that more than 371,000 young children in the Burhakaba district of southern Somalia’s Bay region are suffering from acute malnutrition, a rate approaching the threshold for officially declaring famine.

The region is home to about 200,000 people, most of whom depend on agriculture and grazing, two sectors that have been severely affected by successive weak rainy seasons.

The report indicated that the region faces the risk of famine if the worst-case scenario occurs, namely the failure of the Go rains, rising food prices, and a continued decline in humanitarian aid.

According to international standards, famine is defined as a situation in which 20% of the population suffers from severe food shortages, with more than 30% of children suffering from acute malnutrition and high rates of hunger-related mortality.

For its part, the US-based FEWS NET, which specializes in early warning of famine, warned that the failure of the upcoming harvest season could lead to the rapid emergence of famine in the Bay, Bakool and Gedo regions in the south of the country.

Despite the expected relative improvement in rainfall, the alternative scenario still exists in light of the severe climate fluctuations.

Around 6 million Somalis are facing critical levels of food insecurity, at a time when international aid is experiencing an unprecedented decline.

Humanitarian funding for Somalia fell to just $160 million in 2026, compared to $531 million last year, while it reached $2.38 billion during the major drought crisis in 2022.

Aid officials believe that Somalia could become the first victim of what is known as the post-aid era, as humanitarian needs increase while the international community's ability to respond diminishes.