NAIROBI, Kenya (KAAB TV) – The latest IGAD Regional Focus of the 2024 Global Report on Food Crises highlights a worsening food insecurity crisis in the IGAD region, which includes Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.
The report reveals a troubling trend of increasing acute food insecurity over the past five years, stressing the urgent need for coordinated efforts to address the escalating humanitarian crisis.
According to the report, approximately 62.9 million people—25% of the population analyzed across seven IGAD countries—are facing high levels of acute food insecurity in 2024. This marks a rise from 61.9 million in 2023, underscoring the severity of the situation and the pressing need for immediate action.
In Sudan, famine has gripped Zamzam camp in North Darfur, with 13 additional areas at imminent risk of famine.
Frequent and severe climate extremes are major drivers of the region’s food insecurity. The lingering impact of a severe drought in the Eastern Horn of Africa from 2020 to 2023, coupled with widespread floods linked to El Niño, have significantly disrupted agricultural production. Persistent dry conditions in 2023 and the first half of 2024 have further exacerbated the situation in other parts of the region.
Economic challenges have compounded the food crisis, with IGAD countries grappling with currency depreciation, soaring inflation, and the volatility of global food markets, all of which have intensified food insecurity.
Adding to the crisis is the region’s unprecedented displacement, with 25 million people forcibly displaced by mid-2024—the highest number on record. The ongoing conflict in Sudan alone has internally displaced 7.9 million people since April 2023, creating the world’s largest internal displacement crisis.
The deteriorating situation across the IGAD region demands an urgent and coordinated response from both regional partners and member states to address the growing humanitarian needs and mitigate the impacts of the food crisis.
“These figures illustrate a humanitarian crisis in our region. Climate extremes and economic shocks are leading to unprecedented levels of food insecurity, putting millions of lives at risk. Conflict exacerbates food insecurity, creating a vicious cycle that further destabilizes our communities. To make progress, we must address these interconnected issues by strengthening our collective efforts, building the resilience of our communities, and addressing the root causes of conflict to pave the way for long-term stability and development in our region,” stated IGAD’s Executive Secretary, Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, emphasizing the importance of addressing socioeconomic concerns.
Rukia Yacoub, WFP’s Deputy Regional Director for Eastern Africa, warned of the dire situation in Sudan, saying, “The conflict in Sudan has triggered the world’s largest hunger crisis, with more than half the population struggling to put enough food on their plates every day. Violence and insecurity have driven millions of people to seek refuge both within their own country and in neighboring countries, which are already grappling with high levels of food insecurity and instability. This is putting even more pressure on limited humanitarian resources.”
FAO’s Subregional Coordinator for Eastern Africa and Representative to the AU and UNECA, Farayi Zimudzi, added, “We are witnessing a fifth consecutive year of worsening food insecurity in the IGAD region. It is evident that a shift is necessary—from reactive emergency responses to a proactive, anticipatory approach that mitigates the impacts of shocks, safeguarding livelihoods and food security.”
Furthermore Zimudzi saod the catastrophic impacts of regional conflicts on food security and malnutrition underscore the urgent need for peace-building initiatives and conflict-sensitive programs that protect agricultural production and support rural livelihoods.