ESAT News (July 7, 2017)
The Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET) warned that prolonged drought drives a food security emergency in Somalia and Southeastern Ethiopia.
The Network said in an alert on Thursday that a major food security emergency is expected to continue in the Horn of Africa into early 2018, following very poor performance of the March to June 2017 rains, the second consecutive below-average season in many areas.
It said the regeneration of pasture and water resources for pastoralists has been well below normal in southeastern Ethiopia, central Somalia, and northern Kenya, and July harvest prospects are very poor in most areas of southern Somalia.
These factors are likely to sustain high humanitarian assistance needs across the Horn of Africa, and drive a continuation of emergency acute food insecurity in southeastern Ethiopia and Somalia, it said.
In addition, it warned that Somalia continues to face a risk of famine and improved humanitarian access in Somalia, and urgent, sustained assistance in Somalia and southeastern Ethiopia, is needed to mitigate very high levels of acute malnutrition and the threat of loss of life.