Things you need to know about food security in Somalia
Food security is a key issue in Somalia, where a combination of factors such as erratic rainfall, conflict, high commodity prices and limited access to healthcare have led to severe food crises and malnutrition. The country’s vulnerability to climate change further exacerbates these challenges, affecting agricultural productivity, water availability and the frequency of extreme weather events.
Food security is the ability of people to have consistent access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and preferences. It includes four main dimensions:
1. Availability: This refers to an adequate and constant food supply. It includes factors such as agricultural production, food imports and food supply.
2. Access: which includes both economic and physical access to food. Economic access means that people have the financial means to purchase food, while physical access refers to the availability of markets, transportation, and infrastructure that allow food to reach consumers.
3. Use: This dimension focuses on the quality and nutritional value of the food consumed. These include factors such as dietary diversity, safe food handling and preparation, and access to clean water and sanitation.
4. Stability: This highlights the need to maintain food security over time. This is about ensuring that the other three dimensions (availability, access and use) remain consistent and reliable even during shocks or disruptions such as natural disasters or conflicts.
The State of the Somali Food Insecurity Crisis
According to FAO, Somalia is facing a severe food crisis between August and September 2023, more than 3.7 million people are expected to face a crisis or worse impact. This number is expected to rise to 4.3 million between October and December 2023. The main causes of severe food insecurity and malnutrition in Somalia include below-average rainfall, sparse rainfall, drought, floods, conflict, high commodity food prices and limited access to healthcare. These factors have led to reduced agricultural yields, limited access to water and pastures, disruption to livelihoods, population displacement and increased susceptibility to disease. Addressing these challenges and ensuring sustainable food security in Somalia requires immediate humanitarian assistance and long-term resilience-building efforts.
The key drivers of acute food insecurity in Somalia
There are several factors that have significant impacts on the food security situation in Somalia which includes;
1. Irregular rainfall: The country is experiencing irregular rainfall, including below-average rainfall in some areas and flooding in others. This leads to reduced agricultural productivity with implications for food availability and access. Which is also affects milk availability.
2. Conflict and insecurity: Ongoing conflict and insecurity in Somalia is displacing people, disrupting markets and limiting access to livelihoods. This makes it difficult for families to access food and receive humanitarian assistance.
4. Disease: Somalia faces problems related to diseases such as acute watery diarrhoea and measles epidemics. Limited access to clean water and sanitation contributes to high disease rates. Inadequate vaccinations also affect the health and nutrition of the population.
Role of climate change on food security
Climate change has far-reaching consequences for food security and influences various aspects of the food system. Extreme weather events such as heatwaves, heavy rains and droughts disrupt food production, leading to reduced availability and higher prices. Additionally, climate change is impacting the transportation and storage of food, further exacerbating access and availability issues. Temperature fluctuations and rainfall also pose risks to food safety and quality. Reduced water availability under the influence of climate change affects agricultural productivity and ultimately impacts food security. In addition, the expected increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as floods and droughts will further impact food production and distribution.
What Has to be done?
To prevent food and nutrition insecurity from worsening, various measures must be taken
Target groups that are vulnerable populations: Identification, registration and targeting of humanitarian aid recipients should prioritize newcomers and include minorities and marginalized groups. These populations often have greater difficulty accessing food and require special attention to ensure their needs are met.
1. Improved access to affected areas: Improving access and coverage of humanitarian assistance in areas affected by insecurity and conflict is critical to reaching the populations that need it most. Efforts must be made to overcome obstacles and ensure that aid reaches these areas effectively.
2. Timely support to farmers: It is important to provide timely support to poor farmers, especially to take advantage of the ongoing Gu rainy season. This support can include access to agricultural inputs, training and financial support to help farmers maximize their production and improve food security.
3. Supporting pastoral livelihoods: Livestock plays an important role in the livelihoods of pastoral communities. Supporting these communities by vaccinating and caring for their animals can help speed recovery and build resilience to food insecurity. These measures, combined with broader efforts to address the root causes of food insecurity and climate change, can help prevent acute food security crises and improve the overall resilience of affected societies.
