An estimated 5.4 million people across Somalia are projected to face Crisis or worse levels of food insecurity between October and December 2026. The projections, reported on 5 October 2026, reflect the compounding effects of successive climatic shocks, ongoing conflict, disease outbreaks, and a reduction in overall humanitarian assistance. These figures indicate a sustained, large-scale crisis heading into the final quarter of the year.
According to OCHA, 5 October 2026, the 5.4 million people projected to face Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse conditions include 1.5 million people expected to face Emergency (IPC Phase 4) conditions. Furthermore, according to OCHA, 5 October 2026, 1.92 million children under the age of five will require treatment for acute malnutrition between July 2026 and June 2027. This includes 433,000 children requiring treatment for severe acute malnutrition.
Humanitarian agencies, including OCHA and food security and nutrition cluster partners, are responding to the crisis. The scale of acute hunger and malnutrition requires sustained, large-scale food and nutrition interventions across the country to prevent mortality, particularly among children under five.
Moving forward, humanitarian agencies will need to balance these baseline food security needs with the imminent requirement for flood response. The exact trajectory of food insecurity in the coming months remains uncertain, as it will depend heavily on the performance of the October to December Deyr rains and the severity of anticipated flooding.
About this story
Written by the SHM editorial desk and approved by an SHM editor before publication.