The World Food Programme reported today, Tuesday, that 13 million people in the Horn of Africa are facing the threat of severe famine due to the worst drought in decades. Michael Dunford, the regional director of the programme in East Africa, stated that water and grazing land are scarce and the rainfall forecasts for Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia for the upcoming month are below average, which could worsen the crisis. He added that "crops are failing, livestock are dying, and hunger is increasing as recurrent drought damages the Horn of Africa."
He explained that "the situation requires immediate humanitarian action" to avoid a repeat of the crisis experienced in Somalia in 2011, where 250,000 people died from hunger during a prolonged drought. The UN-affiliated programme indicated that three years have passed without a proper rainy season and the region is experiencing the most severe drought conditions since 1981. The drought has destroyed crops and caused an "unusually high" rate of livestock mortality, forcing rural families who depend on livestock and agriculture to abandon their homes.
According to the World Food Programme, an amount of $327 million is necessary to meet immediate needs over the next six months and help communities become more resilient to repeated food shocks.
