About 6.7 million facing starvation in Mogadishu, Somalia amid biting drought
MOGADISHU, Dec 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Government of Germany and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have together increased humanitarian assistance through cash transfers to mitigate the impact of drought on the food security and livelihoods of affected rural communities in Mogadishu, Somalia.
Hunger is increasing and intensifying in Mogadishu with about 6.7 million people, including over 300,000 of those already facing famine conditions, expected to be acutely food insecure until end of the year.
Approximately half of those facing famine are in rural, hard-to-reach areas.
The ability of the most vulnerable to endure drought has now been exhausted, and over one million people have left their homes in search of assistance.
“The current drought affecting the country is the worst we’ve seen in at least four decades, and parts of the country are on the brink of famine,” says FAO Representative in Somalia, Etienne Peterschmitt.
“FAO’s Cash Transfer assistance to vulnerable rural communities addresses their immediate needs while helping to mitigate livelihood collapse. This keeps families together during crisis, reducing the risks associated with displacement, and paving the way for a faster, future recovery,” he added.
German Ambassador to Somalia Sebastian Groth says it is crucial to bring everyone on board hence the reason why Germany is working closely with its partners such as FAO and the Somali government to support people in all of Somalia.
“To save a family’s livelihood means the family can stay at their beloved home in difficult times. And the whole family will be able to get back onto their feet much quicker again when conditions normalize,” he said.
With continued support from Germany to FAO in Somalia, the “Livelihood response to mitigate impacts of drought on food security and livelihoods” project is providing three months of unconditional cash transfer assistance to 6,050 families in farming communities, due to the ongoing drought.
To date, FAO has reached 5,519 families with three months of cash transfers amounting to $1,057,170.
Additionally, 4,800 families are receiving cash transfers while rehabilitating communal infrastructures critical to water management.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Somalia centers around improving food security and nutrition and protecting livelihoods in the face of shocks as well as promoting resilient agri-food value chains, integrated water and land management, climate smart agri-food systems and providing technical support and capacity development to the Government of Somalia at local, State and Federal levels across the areas within its mandate. — NNN-AGENCIES
