The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that its life-saving food and nutrition assistance in Somalia could come to a halt as early as April without immediate funding, putting millions of people at risk of worsening hunger.
According to WFP, an estimated 4.4 million people are currently facing food insecurity, with nearly one million experiencing severe hunger. The crisis has been driven by consecutive failed rainy seasons, ongoing conflict, and a significant decline in humanitarian funding.
WFP’s Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response, Ross Smith, said the situation is rapidly deteriorating. He warned that many families who have already lost their livestock and livelihoods are on the brink of extreme hardship, and without urgent food assistance, conditions could worsen quickly.
Somalia declared a drought emergency in November following repeated rainfall failures. WFP, the largest humanitarian agency operating in the country, has already been forced to scale back assistance due to funding shortfalls—reducing the number of people supported from 2.2 million to just over 600,000. Nutrition programs for pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as young children, have also been significantly cut.
The agency says it requires $95 million to sustain operations between March and August. Without immediate support, WFP cautions that Somalia could face severe humanitarian, security, and economic consequences that may extend beyond its borders.