Food insecurity worsens as dry spell persists

The delayed onset of the October-February rainy season in Djibouti has led to worsening food insecurity in pastoral areas due to lack of pasture and water in the coastal dry period grazing areas, a famine alert agency has reported. Milk production and livestock sales were far below seasonal average levels, the USAID-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) said in its monthly update for Djibouti, which was released on 18 December. "There is a strong probability that the food security situation among pastoralists will deteriorate in the coming months, with a resulting increase in the drought-affected population by 30-40 percent (around 66,000 people)," FEWS NET said. In addition to the drought, wild predators and extreme cold temperatures were reportedly seriously reducing the remaining weakened herds. An influx of people from the rural areas was already being observed in the suburbs of Djibouti City as well as in the interior urban areas, including Obock, Dikhil, Aseyla and Alisabieh, FEWS NET said. Rising kerosene prices were fueling environmental degradation due to intensive production of firewood and charcoal, it added.