NAIROBI (KAAB TV) – Food crises are expected to worsen in Eastern Africa in 2023, with Kenya and Somalia particularly affected, according to a report released by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
The report reveals that in 2022, over 55 million people in seven out of eight IGAD member states were in dire need of immediate food assistance, representing an increase of more than 13 million people compared to the previous year.
The report, known as the IGAD Regional Focus of the Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC) 2023, sheds light on the escalating levels of acute food insecurity in the region. The GRFC, an annual publication by the Food Security Information Network (FSIN) in support of the Global Network Against Food Crises (GNAFC), highlights the pressing nature of the situation.
The numbers are staggering, with 55.45 million people across Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda requiring urgent food assistance in 2022. This marks the highest number of acutely food-insecure individuals in the region over the past five years. The report also emphasizes the dire circumstances faced by 301,000 people who experienced a catastrophic level of food insecurity (IPC Phase 5) in 2022, with Somalia and South Sudan accounting for the majority of these cases.
The population facing acute food insecurity in IGAD member states has been rapidly increasing since 2020, with over 10 million additional people affected each year. Multiple factors contribute to this worsening situation, including a three-year drought in the Horn of Africa, devastating floods in South Sudan, ongoing conflicts, and economic challenges exacerbated by the impacts of COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine.
Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, the Executive Secretary of IGAD, highlighted the link between hunger levels and climate extremes, disasters, conflicts, and economic shocks. In the report’s foreword, Dr. Gebeyehu stressed the spiraling consequences for tens of millions of people, including children, men, and women in the region.
Projections for 2023 paint a grim picture, as up to 30 million people are expected to require humanitarian food assistance in Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda. Among them, an estimated 7.5 million people in these countries are projected to face large food consumption gaps and adopt emergency coping measures (IPC Phase 4). Furthermore, over 83,000 individuals are anticipated to face extreme food scarcity (IPC Phase 5) in the most severely affected areas, particularly in Somalia and South Sudan. These projections do not even account for the recent clashes in Sudan, which are likely to exacerbate an already dire food insecurity situation.
While the March-May 2023 rains may bring some relief from the worst drought in the Horn of Africa in over four decades, the region will continue to grapple with the catastrophic consequences in the years to come.
The recovery of pastoral and agropastoral livelihoods from the devastating three-year drought will require significant time, and humanitarian assistance will remain critical until households and communities can fully recover.
Conflict in Sudan
In Sudan, the ongoing conflict is expected to rapidly deteriorate food security and nutrition, especially in Khartoum and the Darfur region. By mid-May, more than 1 million people had already been displaced, with approximately 843,000 internally displaced and over 250,000 seeking refuge in neighboring countries.
Rukia Yacoub, the World Food Programme’s (WFP) Deputy Regional Director for Eastern Africa, highlighted the far-reaching impact of Sudan’s conflict on the entire region. Yacoub noted the escalating levels of food insecurity and malnutrition as hundreds of thousands of people flee to neighboring countries, placing additional strain on already scarce humanitarian resources.
The magnitude of the challenges facing Eastern Africa calls for immediate and coordinated action to alleviate the suffering of millions affected by acute food insecurity.
The IGAD Executive Secretary emphasized the need for a paradigm shift to make progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 2 – Ending Hunger.
This shift includes building resilience against future shocks, transforming agricultural systems to be more efficient, inclusive, and sustainable, and prioritizing efforts to build and sustain peace. Dr. Gebeyehu stressed the interconnectedness of conflict and food insecurity, calling for bolder action to address the root causes.
Dr. Chimimba David Phiri, FAO’s Subregional Coordinator for Eastern Africa, echoed the urgency for collective action. Phiri highlighted the need to upscale anticipatory action and climate adaptation strategies to prevent future climate emergencies, as demonstrated by the three-year drought in the Horn of Africa. Additionally, sustainable peace-building efforts, increased domestic production, and reduced post-harvest losses are essential to address conflicts and global economic shocks affecting the IGAD region.
Addressing the dire food crises requires the collaboration of international organizations, governments, the private sector, regional organizations, civil society, and communities.
The report calls for aligned efforts and shared evidence and information, emphasizing the importance of long-term strategies to achieve sustainable food security in the region.