More than 50 million people will suffer “high levels of acute food insecurity” this year in seven East African countries, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an eight-nation economic bloc in the region, warned on Friday.
According to the 2022 edition of its “IGAD Regional Focus on Food Crises” report, the affected countries are: djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan Y Uganda.
“Acute food insecurity” corresponds to phase 3 (crisis) of the five phases of the Integrated Food Safety Phase Classification (IPC), with the following phase 4 being an “emergency” and phase 5 being a “disaster”.
Hunger is “the tip of the iceberg” and will reach those who are not yet food insecure
In a statement also endorsed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), IGAD notes that more than 50 million people will suffer from stage 3 “or worse”.
In addition, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan face the biggest food crises in the region.
It is expected that approx. 300,000 people faces a catastrophe (phase 5) a Somalia and South Sudan by 2022, with the risk of famine in eight areas of Somalia, by September if agricultural and livestock production is scarce, food costs rise and humanitarian aid does not increase.
Some 200 children have died in Somalia since January from malnutrition.
“Our region has been hit like never before”IGAD executive secretary Workneh Gebeyehu said, expressing fears the numbers could rise because “the outlook for the October-December rainy season is bleak.”
The combination of weather extremes, conflict and macroeconomic challenges makes it nearly impossible for our otherwise resilient communities to withstand multiple shocks,” added Workneh.
The FAO sub-regional coordinator for East Africa, Chimimba David Phiri, highlighted that “the current food security situation in the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia) is desperateafter the failure of four consecutive rainy seasons, weather event not seen in at least 40 years“.
Now more than ever, we need to implement short-term responses that save livelihoods by building long-term resilience,” said Phiri.
Climate change and the natural phenomenon La Niña have caused a multi-seasonal drought unprecedented, exacerbated by one of the worst rains in the last 70 years, recorded from March to May.
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The latest forecast from the IGAD Climate Forecast and Applications Center (ICPAC) points to a fifth consecutive failed rainy season in the region.
Conflict, weather extremes, economic shocks, rising costs and now the impact of the conflict in Ukraine on food and energy prices are pushing millions of people into famine in East Africa,” said Director WFP Regional Office for Eastern Africa, Michael Dunford.
According to Dunford, “sadly, there is a very real risk of famine in the region and We must do everything in our power to prevent that from happening.”
Source: Observadora
