HIGHLIGHTS
Ongoing insecurity exacerbates the negative effects of erratic seasonal rains and below-average harvests
El Niño-related flooding may affect up to 900,000 people, limit humanitarian access
FSNAU records emergency malnutrition levels in Somalia
KEY DEVELOPMENTS
Food security conditions in Somalia have deteriorated since early 2015, with approximately 855,000 people experiencing Crisis or Emergency—IPC 3 or 4—levels of food insecurity as of August, according to the USAID-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET).4
The El Niño climatic event will likely have a mixed effect on Somalia’s humanitarian situation in the coming months, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization reports. While the early cessation of the April-to-June gu rains decreased food security in some areas, above-average October-to-December deyr rainfall attributable to El Niño may improve crop and pasture development. El Niño-associated rainfall may also result in severe flooding in southern regions, and exacerbate drought conditions in northwestern Somalia, according to the UN.
In FY 2015, the U.S. Government (USG) provided more than $204 million in humanitarian assistance to Somalia, allowing partners to provide emergency food assistance; healthcare services; and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions, among other lifesaving activities.