WFP warns of catastrophic shortfalls in Somalia with millions at risk of deepening hunger crisis

This warning follows the declaration of a national drought emergency, triggered by severe water shortages, crop and livestock losses, and large‑scale displacement - conditions reminiscent of the 2022 crisis when famine was narrowly averted thanks to large-scale international support.

Somalia is facing one of the most complex hunger crises in recent years, driven by two consecutive failed rainy seasons, conflict, and a sharp drop in humanitarian funding. A quarter of the population – 4.4 million people – face crisis-levels of food insecurity or worse (IPC3+), including nearly one million women, men, and children experiencing severe hunger.

“The situation is deteriorating at an alarming rate. Families have lost everything, and many are already being pushed to the brink. Without immediate emergency food support, conditions will worsen quickly,” said Ross Smith, WFP Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response. “We are at the cusp of a decisive moment; without urgent action, we may be unable to reach the most vulnerable in time, most of them women and children.”

WFP is the largest humanitarian agency in Somalia, working alongside partners to support the majority of the country’s food security response. In 2022, the longest drought in recorded history brought Somalia to the brink of famine. In response, with critical support from donors, partners and the government, WFP launched a robust scale up of life-saving assistance. Working together, we reached record numbers of the most vulnerable, helping keep famine at bay. WFP has the teams on the ground and capacity to push back extreme hunger again.

But today WFP faces a severe funding shortfall that has forced it to reduce the number of people receiving emergency food assistance from 2.2 million in early 2025 to just over 600,000. This means WFP is currently supporting only one in every seven people in need of food assistance to survive. Nutrition programmes have also been slashed from assisting nearly 400,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women and young children in October 2025 to just 90,000 in December. Without immediate funding, WFP will be forced to halt humanitarian assistance by April.

“In 2022, WFP showed that when we have the resources, we can scale up quickly and reach people at the very moment they need us most. Today, we’re facing that critical moment again,” said Smith. “If our already reduced assistance ends, the humanitarian, security, and economic consequences will be devastating, with the effects felt far beyond Somalia’s borders. WFP and partners are ready to deliver, but we need urgent support to avoid a preventable catastrophe.”

WFP urgently requires USD95 million to continue supporting the most food insecure people in Somalia between March and August 2026. Without immediate funding, WFP will be forced to halt humanitarian assistance by April.  

Notes to editors:

High resolution photos available here

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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

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