Mogadishu, Somalia – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has announced drastic reductions in emergency food assistance across Somalia, warning that funding shortages are forcing agencies to scale back support even as hunger and climate shocks intensify.
The agency confirmed on Friday that the number of Somalis receiving food aid will drop from 1.1 million in August to just 350,000 by November. The cuts come at a time when prolonged droughts, flash floods and failed harvests have pushed millions to the brink of starvation.
WFP said “critical funding shortfalls” are behind the reduction, leaving hundreds of thousands of displaced families, pastoral communities and low-income households without regular food support. Humanitarian partners fear the decision could reverse fragile gains made since the 2022–2023 drought that drove the country close to famine.
Aid agencies are also grappling with reduced contributions from key donors. Officials say recent foreign aid cuts by the United States — historically Somalia’s largest humanitarian backer — have sharply undermined relief operations, drying up essential lifelines for communities already overwhelmed by extreme weather and soaring food prices.
Somalia remains one of the countries most severely affected by climate change in the Horn of Africa. Cycles of drought and flooding have devastated livestock herds, farmlands and livelihoods, compounding displacement and poverty in both urban and rural areas. Nearly half of the population is estimated to require humanitarian assistance.
Humanitarian coordinators are urging renewed funding commitments to prevent a deeper crisis. With families already rationing meals and malnutrition on the rise, they warn that the latest cuts could push vulnerable communities into severe hunger before the end of the year.