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UN agencies warn of worsening hunger & malnutrition crisis in Somalia
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Wednesday, 20 May, 2026, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Mogadishu, Somalia
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The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned of a rapidly intensifying hunger emergency in Somalia that is pushing 6 million people – 31 percent of the population – into critical levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) between April and June 2026. This now includes one of the worst malnutrition crises in the world impacting approximately 1.9 million children, of whom 493,000 face severe acute malnutrition, who are 12 times at higher risk of death compared to well-nourished children.
Among those projected to be acutely food insecure, close to 1.9 million are facing Emergency (IPC Phase 4), a number that has tripled in less than a year, according to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis report. Meanwhile, populations in agropastoral livelihoods in Burhakaba district of Bay region in southwest Somalia face the risk of famine if a worst-case scenario develops where the current April to June Gu season rains fail, food prices continue to rise sharply, and humanitarian assistance is not scaled up to reach the most vulnerable populations through June 2026. Nearly 40 percent of children under five in this area are already acutely malnourished.
This marks the first risk of famine analysis since the 2022 crisis, when famine was averted through massively scaled up and sustained humanitarian interventions in the aftermath of the longest drought on record. The current worsening crisis is driven by multiple shocks, including severe drought, insecurity, extremely limited humanitarian assistance, and the ripple effects of conflict in the Middle East, and increased risk of flooding in riverine and low-lying areas. Food prices – linked to fuel price increases and maritime supply chain disruptions – have risen by up to 20 percent, weakening household purchasing power and pushing families closer to the brink.
FAO, OCHA, UNICEF, and WFP are calling for an urgent scale-up of lifesaving multi-sectoral humanitarian assistance – food security, nutrition, health, WASH – for populations in IPC Phase 3 and above, including those facing a risk of famine. Sustained and predictable funding are critical to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.
George Conway, Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, said, “The IPC analysis paints a stark and urgent picture, with rising numbers of malnourished children and confirmed famine risk in Burhakaba district. Without immediate and sustained support from donors, the diaspora and the private sector, we risk a preventable catastrophe unfolding before our eyes. We must act now, at scale and without delay, to save lives and prevent the worst from happening.”
Etienne Peterschmitt, FAO Somalia representative, said, “The country is at a tipping point. The severe and prolonged drought that has devastated livelihoods, coupled with the conflict in the Middle East that has driven up food and fuel prices, and the growing risk of severe flooding linked to El Niño means that the country is at the precipice of a famine risk once again. Competing and recurring crises are placing an even greater strain on vulnerable communities. We recognise that resources are more constrained than ever, but we must act now and respond at sufficient scale to save lives and livelihoods, especially in rural areas where needs are highest.”
Sandra Lattouf, UNICEF Somalia representative, said, “Across Somalia, children are facing a rapidly worsening crisis and time is running out. While communities and frontline workers remain resilient, they cannot do it alone. UNICEF is urgently scaling up lifesaving support. With swift action, we can still save lives and uphold every child’s right to survive and thrive.”
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