• The Horn of Africa is grappling with the worst drought in four decades: there has been no rain for three consecutive seasons, and the forecasts for the coming months are not encouraging.
• According to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), 13 million people across Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia will suffer hunger in the first quarter of 2022.
• The WFP has requested 327 million dollars for a specific response plan aimed at assisting the people in greatest difficulty and building their resilience to future climate shocks.

In all likelihood, as many as 13 million people across Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia will suffer hunger in the first quarter of 2022. The main culprit is the ongoing drought in the Horn of Africa, the worst in four decades, with still no end in sight. The alarm has been raised by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

The drought in the Horn of Africa

In the Horn of Africa, rainfall has been scarce or entirely absent for three consecutive seasons, and the forecasts for the coming months are not encouraging. The drought has decimated harvests and killed an "abnormal number" of livestock. Particularly in southern and south-eastern Ethiopia, south-eastern and northern Kenya, and central and southern Somalia, families are being forced to move ever further from their homes to bring their livestock to the few fields still suitable for grazing. This is increasing tensions between communities. "The situation requires immediate humanitarian action and strong support to build community resilience for the future," says Michael Dunford, WFP's Regional Director for Eastern Africa.

Millions of people at risk of severe hunger

The extreme climatic conditions have gone hand in hand with soaring food prices for months. These are measured by the FAO, the United Nations food and agriculture organisation, through the Food Price Index. In January 2022, the index reached 135.7 points, the highest value in more than a decade; for comparison, between 2015 and 2020 it had consistently remained below 100 points.

As a consequence, 13 million people face an immediate risk of severe hunger across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. To this end, the World Food Programme, already awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020, has requested 327 million dollars to launch a specific response plan. The aim is first and foremost to provide food assistance to people in need, support them with cash transfers, expand school feeding programmes and strengthen medical care for malnutrition. Looking ahead, the WFP also wants to help the population build resilience to climate shocks that are set to become increasingly frequent.