In East Africa, thousands are facing a hunger emergency that has occurred as a result of four failed rainy seasons in a row. As the rainy season approaches, another drought could deepen the crisis and tip some areas into famine within weeks. Meteorologists have assessed the current situation and issued warnings over a fifth unsatisfactory rainy season. Typically, East Africa experiences an increase in rain beginning in October.
Aid organizations working in East Africa have stated that they are facing a lack of funding and therefore cannot help thousands of individuals from suffering from food insecurity. Hardships such as crop failures and deaths of livestock have been exacerbated by global food prices, which despite some declines remain roughly 8% higher than a year ago. In addition, export restrictions in place in neighboring countries have made it difficult to obtain food at an adequate price. The US Agency for International Development’s Famine Early Warning Systems Network stated that parts of southern Somalia will be in famine in the next few months. This classification indicates that two out of every 10,000 inhabitants will die from hunger every day.
