Letter From Mogadishu: Somalia in the throes of drought and hunger

A fish porter carries tuna carcasses on his shoulders from an open-air beachside market where local fishermen land their catch at dawn in Mogadishu, on November 12, 2025. [AFP] The Horn of Africa and Somalia in particular are in the throes of yet another severe drought situation. The long rains, which run from October to December, have failed once again, exacerbating the situation even more. Last month, the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) declared a drought emergency across the country. The drought conditions in the country are spreading fast, compounding an already serious humanitarian situation with affected areas facing critical water and food shortages, among other needs. Reports monitored from various regions indicate severe water and food shortage, forcing the Somali government, through the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA) to set up a technical committee to address the growing drought challenges nationwide. All relevant government institutions have been instructed to respond swiftly to rapidly growing needs and intensify relief efforts to address the impact of the widespread drought conditions. In response, the UN Emergency Response Coordinator allocated US$10 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund for drought early action in Somalia, targeting over 603,000 people. At least 4.4 million people-more than one-fifth of the population-are projected to face high levels of hunger from October to December. An estimated 1.85 million children under 5 are expected to suffer acute malnutrition through July 2026. The drought conditions are spreading at a time when funding shortfalls have forced humanitarian agencies to scale back assistance. For Somalia, this sends alarm bells ringing, given the fragile security situation the country faces after years of war and terrorism. Already, an estimated 2 million people have been displaced. Appeals for support have come from multiple regions, with authorities calling for an urgent scale-up of assistance to avert the collapse of livelihoods, mitigate the impact of widespread water and food shortages, and contain possible loss of lives. Humanitarian partners are working with authorities to better understand the evolving crisis and plan how to respond despite the scarce and limited resources due to funding reductions. According to the Early Warning System on Food and Agriculture Special Alert on Somalia released a week ago; Drought conditions in key southern cereal-producing areas during October and the first half of November 2025 have negatively impacted the establishment and development of Deyr crops, expected to be harvested in January 2026. Dry conditions also prevailed in northern and central pastoral areas, already affected by two consecutive poor rainy seasons, worsening water and pasture shortages and severely affecting livestock. The drought is expected to aggravate the already difficult food insecurity situation, with about one-quarter of the population currently estimated to face severe acute food insecurity. In Galmudug State, partners have reported acute drought conditions, water scarcity, hunger and displacement in 13 villages in Hobyo district. The State faces a severe burden of acute malnutrition, with recent assessments indicating alarmingly high Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) prevalence among displaced and rural populations. In Hirshabelle State, prolonged dry spells in the Balcad district have disrupted livelihoods, reduced agricultural productivity, and worsened hunger, with an estimated 250,000 people impacted by the drought conditions. Nearly all districts in Jubaland State, which is across the border in the Garissa and Mandera counties, have been affected by persistent drought conditions. According to partners, the hardest hit towns include Kismayo, Badhaadhe, Ceel Waaq, Bua'ale, Afmadow and Garbahaarey districts. In Dhobley, authorities report that the district has received newly displaced families from Middle Juba and rural villages; the numbers are yet to be verified. In the Gedo region, an estimated 200,000 people are reportedly facing critical water shortages as trucked water has more than doubled while boreholes, shallow wells and water pans are drying up. In the South West State, authorities warned that dry conditions have caused severe water scarcity, widespread crop failure, and increased livestock diseases in Bay, Bakool, and Lower Shabelle regions. Pastoral and agro-pastoral households have exhausted their coping mechanisms, and displaced populations are at heightened risk of further hardship. The breakaway Somaliland republic has not been spared either. Last month, the state appealed for assistance for one million people. The consecutive failure of rains this year has caused water reservoirs to dry up, increased the pressure on the few functioning boreholes, and led to rising food insecurity. Pasture and water shortages are forcing pastoral communities to move long distances or depend on costly trucked water. Agricultural production has collapsed, leaving households without food stocks or seeds for the next planting season, further eroding resilience and increasing vulnerability. Additionally, the State Ministry of Education has reported that drought conditions have forced more than 45,000 students to drop out of class or to relocate with their families in search of pasture and water for their livestock. Female-headed households and persons with disabilities are among the worst affected, facing restricted access to aid due to limited mobility, documentation barriers, and entrenched clan and patriarchal gatekeeping. Repeated displacement and loss of livelihoods have increased harmful coping strategies and exposure to gender-based violence, while essential services-such as reproductive health care, menstrual hygiene, safe water, disability-inclusive facilities, and gender-based violence support-remain scarce or inaccessible in many drought-affected areas. With the drought situation worsening, north-eastern Kenya will not be spared either. There are already signs of hunger in the counties of Garissa, Wajir, Mandera and Marsabit. The areas affected could increase and cover counties like Tana River, Kilifi and Kwale, with an estimated 2.1 million Kenyans facing starvation. The government must be monitoring the movement of populations in Somalia, especially those along the border, with fears that they are likely to spill over to Kenya. Meanwhile, in Minneapolis, hundreds of Somalis are living under fear after US President Donald Trump escalated the war against immigrant,s specifically singling Somalis out. By the next day, Trump intensified his remarks. During an Oval Office appearance, he declared, Somalis should be out of here accusing them of destroying America. Trump didn't spare local leaders either, brushing off Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey as a "fool" for being proud to have the largest Somali population in the United States. With gloves off, many Somalis are worried that brutal force might be exercised to kick them out of the United States. But the Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar, who is a Somali immigrant, has dared the president to try and target her community. Let's keep our fingers crossed as we monitor the situation.

Letter From Mogadishu: Somalia in the throes of drought and hunger

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