Growing food insecurity in northern and central regions

Food insecurity in the pastoral areas of north and central Somalia has worsened in the last three weeks, as the harsh, dry Jilaal season (January-March) progresses, the EC- and USAID-funded Food Security Analysis Unit (FAO/FSAU) Somalia and the USAID-funded Famine Early Warning Network (FEWS-NET) Somalia, warned. Updated information in the March Food Security Report for Somalia reports an expansion in the areas affected and growth in the numbers of vulnerable people. About 95,000 pastoralists are currently facing a "humanitarian emergency" and another 123,000 a "livelihood crisis". Both groups required immediate humanitarian assistance to prevent deaths, rising malnutrition and/or livelihood collapse, said the report. The food security situation in the Nugal, the northern part of Mudug and the southern part of Bari regions has deteriorated rapidly from what was reported in the FSAU/FEWS-Net Report issued on 25 February, the report said. Areas in the "humanitarian emergency" category had now expanded to cover most of Garowe and northwestern parts of Eyl districts. Areas in the "livelihood crisis" category had expanded to cover Burtinle, Eyl and most of Gardo districts. If the Gu rains (April -June) failed, the FSAU and FEWS-NET said, the situation in the pastoral areas of northern and central Somalia would escalate to a large-scale humanitarian emergency in terms of severity and magnitude. Even with average Gu rains, humanitarian assistance would be required to support livelihoods following seven drought seasons. FSAU and FEWS-NET also reported that in the agricultural areas of southern Somalia, the total Deyr cereal harvest was close to the postwar average, but there remained vulnerability in certain regions which experienced crop failure or losses, particularly in Bakol, Hiran and Lower Juba. High sorghum prices in Bakol, Hiran and Gedo are also creating food access problems for poor households. For more information: FSAU or FEWS-Net