East Africa hunger crisis
Four successive failed rainy seasons have left parts of Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia facing a disastrous drought and severe humanitarian crisis. The World Food Programme estimates that there are 89 million people who are acutely food insecure, and 16 million children and pregnant or lactating women are now malnourished. People in the region are highly dependent on livestock, and an estimated 7 million animals have died, including 30% of all livestock in Somalia. More than 2 million people in Somalia are now one step away from famine.
The situation is being worsened by the conflict in Ukraine, which is reducing the supply of grain and driving up food prices. In East Africa, the cost of a standard food basket has increased by 46% since this time last year and 21% since the start of the conflict in Ukraine. In East Africa people spend on average between 40-60% of their income on their basic food needs, so this increase in price is having a dramatic impact on people’s ability to feed themselves.
Aid agencies, including DEC charities, are responding by providing food and clean water, treatment for malnutrition, and cash to allow people to buy essentials. This crisis does not currently meet the criteria for the DEC to launch an appeal, although we continue to monitor it closely. If you would like to help, we encourage you to donate to one of the DEC charities’ appeals below: