Somalia Humanitarian crisis projected to worsen with 4 million people at risk of hunger, Federal Government and UN warn

The Federal Government of Somalia and United Nations agencies today warned that hunger is likely to worsen in coming months. At least 4.4 million Somalis projected to face acute food insecurity through the end of 2025, up from 3.4 million people currently facing hunger. Additionally, 1.85 million children are likely to suffer from acute malnutrition. The hunger crisis is driven by a combination of drought, localized flooding, conflict, high food prices, and insufficient access to lifesaving health and nutrition services due to severe funding shortfalls.

The alert follows the release of the 2025 post-Gu IPC analysis by the Federal Government of Somalia, through the Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the World Food Programme (WFP). Since 2019, the Global Report on Food Crises has listed Somalia as one of the world’s most food-insecure countries, with millions facing severe hunger each year.

“The situation is deeply concerning. Millions of our citizens, especially women, children, and displaced families, while millions are facing acute food insecurity. The Federal Government of Somalia, through the SoDMA and several line ministries, is collaborating with partners to enhance resilience and recovery. However, without urgent international support, the progress our nation has made could be lost. We urge donors and friends of Somalia to continue to support us during this critical time” notes Mahamoud Moallim Abdulle, Commissioner of SoDMA.

Due to funding limitations, numerous organizations have had to reassess and modify their operations, resulting in decreased support across various sectors. While Somalia has demonstrated progress in recent years, these advances are at risk as significant funding reductions necessitate scaling back essential life-saving assistance. 

The IPC Acute Food Insecurity Situation for July - September 2025 and Projection for October - December 2025 shows that the hardest-hit groups are pastoralists with fewer animals and lower income from livestock, smallholder farmers experiencing poor harvests, and internally displaced people who have exhausted their food supplies. In the northwest regions, record lows in production indicate almost total crop failure due to poor rainfall in the Gu season, that was preceded by prolonged dry spells. Overall, 25 hotspot districts have been identified as facing both acute food insecurity and acute malnutrition; these areas require urgent multi-sector response to save lives. 

Renewed calls for funding 

Currently, the Somalia Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) for 2025 remains critically underfunded, having secured only 20.3% of its required funding (USD 289 million) out of the US$1.42 billion needed. Consequently, there remains an unmet requirement of USD 1.13 billion for the year which targeted to deliver integrated interventions to 4.6 million Somalis living in the ten most severely affected districts.   

“Somalia is once again facing a deepening crisis. The IPC analysis shows that without immediate action, a million of Somalis risk falling further into hunger and malnutrition. With less than a quarter of this year’s response plan funded, we are forced to make very hard choices about who receives help and who does not. We urgently call on donors to provide timely and reliable funding, so we can save lives and livelihoods, to prevent another devastating famine” notes George Conway, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Humanitarian Coordinator and Resident Coordinator for Somalia.

Malnutrition among children remains an ongoing concern

Children are suffering the most in this crisis. By mid-2026, 1.85 million children under five could face acute malnutrition, with 421,000 of them at risk of severe malnutrition which can be deadly without treatment. The assessment also highlights that children, along with pregnant and breastfeeding women in rural, displaced, and marginalized groups, are especially vulnerable. 

The IPC findings suggest that Somalia could face another significant humanitarian crisis unless interventions are increased, better coordinated, and adequately funded. The Federal Government of Somalia, along with UN agencies, is urging donors and the international community to enhance their support towards for anticipatory action, provide timely and flexible funding, as well as integrated assistance to safeguard the progress that has already been made.