Somalia Faces Imminent Hunger Crisis as Food Aid Faces Halt

Life-saving emergency food and nutrition assistance provided by the World Food Programme (WFP) in Somalia could be forced to a halt by April due to critical funding shortfalls, the United Nations agency warned on Friday.

The warning comes as Somalia confronts one of the most complex hunger crises in recent years, driven by consecutive failed rainy seasons, ongoing conflict, and a significant decline in humanitarian funding. At least 4.4 million people, approximately a quarter of the population, are experiencing crisis levels of food insecurity or worse, including nearly one million women, men, and children facing severe hunger, according to WFP data.

A Climate Vulnerable Nation on the Brink

Somalia is consistently ranked among the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, enduring recurrent cycles of drought and flooding. These extreme weather events, coupled with conflict, have created a dire humanitarian situation. “The situation is deteriorating at an alarming rate. Families have lost everything, and many are already being pushed to the brink. Without immediate emergency food support, conditions will worsen quickly,” said Ross Smith, WFP director of emergency preparedness and response. “We are at the cusp of a decisive moment; without urgent action, we may be unable to reach the most vulnerable in time, most of them women and children.”

Reduced Assistance and Funding Gaps

The WFP, the largest humanitarian agency in Somalia, has already been forced to reduce the number of people receiving emergency food assistance from 2.2 million in early 2025 to approximately 600,000. This means the agency can now support only one in every seven people in need of food assistance. Nutrition programs have as well been significantly scaled back, from assisting nearly 400,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women and young children in October 2024 to 90,000 in December 2024.

“If our already reduced assistance ends, the humanitarian, security, and economic consequences will be devastating, with the effects felt far beyond Somalia’s borders,” Smith stated.

Worsening Health Crisis

The warning from WFP follows a similar alert issued last month by Doctors Without Borders (MSF). MSF teams in Somalia have observed a concerning increase in children suffering from preventable diseases, including severe acute malnutrition, measles, diphtheria, and acute watery diarrhea.

WFP’s Ongoing Efforts

Despite the funding challenges, the WFP continues to work with the Government of Somalia and other partners on projects to build longer-term food security and resilience against future disasters. The agency delivers life-saving food assistance through in-kind rations or cash transfers, providing recipients with more choice and supporting local producers and retailers. It also provides specially fortified nutritious foods to treat and prevent malnutrition in children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers.

However, critical funding gaps threaten to undermine these efforts and push Somalia further into crisis.