UN Concerned Over Dire Food Crisis in Somalia

Mogadishu, 30 Jan 2014 (SDN) –The United Nations is concerned over food insecurity in Somalia, saying the impoverished African nation is likely to suffer from below-average harvest this year, Press TV reports.

In its reports, the UN Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU) highlighted low rainfall and flooding as well as the devastating storm in the northeastern Puntland region as the key reasons for the poor harvest.

It also underlined an alarming level of malnutrition in Somalia.

“The flooding in south Somalia and other natural calamities have adversely affected food production,” said Luul Mohamud Mohamed, deputy director of Mogadishu’s Banaadir Hospital, adding, “Most of the displaced are the farmers and pastoralists and these are the same people who feed the nation through livestock and food production.”

According to the UN agency, at least 870,000 people, many of them being displaced, are still in need of emergency humanitarian assistance while some 2.3 million people continue to live in a situation of fragile food security.

It also said that over 200,000 Somali children under five years old suffer from acute malnutrition, saying Somalia’s ratio of one in seven malnourished children is the highest in the world.

The analysis from the UN agency has pointed to a nutritional improvement program implemented for displaced people in the towns of Baidoa, Bossaso, Dhusamareb, Dhobley, Hargeisa and Mogadishu.

But there are still many displaced people who remain in chaotic condition such as Kismayo and Dhobley settlements in southern Somalia. Other affected areas hosting displaced people include those in Qardho of Puntland and Berbera in the breakaway region of Somaliland.

Earlier this year, the UN Global Humanitarian Response appealed for nearly USD 928 million for some 3.2 million Somalis in need.

Source: Press TV