MOGADISHU, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said Thursday it requires 198 million U.S. dollars to address a deepening hunger crisis in Somalia through February 2027, warning that compounding emergencies are rapidly outpacing families' ability to cope.
According to WFP, Somalia is entering a severe new phase driven by persistent drought, intensifying conflict, mass internal displacement, rising food and fuel prices, and sharply reduced international humanitarian funding.
"One third of Somalia's population is facing acute hunger or worse, including nearly two million facing emergency levels of hunger. These are not abstract numbers; they are families exhausting every last option to survive," WFP said in its latest humanitarian report.
Severe funding shortfalls have drastically reduced the agency's operational reach, which means WFP can only assist a small fraction of the millions facing acute food insecurity and emergency-level hunger across the country.
WFP said Somalia remains one of the world's worst malnutrition crises, with an estimated 1.88 million children under five projected to suffer from acute malnutrition in 2026, including nearly 493,000 children who will require treatment for severe acute malnutrition.
The UN agency said its life-saving nutrition services are extremely limited, with preventive programs cut nationwide and increasing risks for vulnerable women and children.
"Food security conditions remain under pressure as high food prices and reduced agricultural production continue to affect vulnerable households," WFP said.
In July, WFP launched its new Somalia country strategic plan (2026-2030) to provide a framework for saving lives, strengthening self-reliance, enabling government-led solutions, and supporting humanitarian partners.
According to WFP, the latest climate forecasts point to a dangerous outlook: prolonged dry conditions through October, followed by an elevated risk of El Nino-related flooding before the end of the year.
For households already struggling with weak purchasing power and repeated shocks, severe flooding could further disrupt livelihoods, markets, and food access, it said. ■