Deepening Drought and Humanitarian Emergency in Buhodle region somalia

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Posted: Nov 15 08

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Witnessed: 327 times

Food & health & development, Humanitarian, Poverty

armed conflict, Food Crisis, Health, Somalia, starvation

This video contains graphic footage of human rights abuses

Deepening Drought and Humanitarian Emergency in Buhodle region somalia

The number of people in Humanitarian Emergency continues to increase in the drought stricken regions of due to another rain failure, now the fourth consecutive season. This is confirmed by recent nutrition reports that indicate a doubling of the caseload of severely malnourished children in feeding centres over the last three months . Severe water and pasture shortages have led to the large migration of livestock and people - affecting up to 50% of the pastoral settlements – who are now concentrating around permanent water sources. In the central region, most of remaining boreholes are being pushed beyond capacity due to a lack of maintenance and generators. High fuel prices are contributing to increasing water prices which are now between 300 to 1,000 percent higher than normal levels (normally 10,000 SoSh per 200lt barrel, but now 30,000- 100,000 SoSh per 200lt barrel). Livestock body conditions, productivity and value have plummeted, while pack animals and small ruminants are dying. Most pastoralists have no export quality animals remaining and are resorting to selling breeding animals, in a desperate attempt to meet skyrocketing water and food prices. Buying on credit is limited due to high debt levels caused by the prolonged drought. As the next rains are not expected before mid-October, the situation will continue to deteriorate without adequate humanitarian and livelihood support interventions.

Food Price Crisis for Market Dependent Households

Food prices, both local and imported, are at record historic levels and are still climbing. More and more people, from both rural and urban, are falling into Acute Food and Livelihood Crisis (AFLC) and Humanitarian Emergency (HE), as they cannot cope with these sustained increasing food prices which have significantly eroded their purchasing power. The poor and middle income households are becoming severely indebted, and are adopting extreme coping strategies, including skipping meals, begging, sale of productive assets, and out migration (‘keenan’).

Worst Security Situation in Last 17 Years

Somalia is now facing the worst security situation in the last seventeen years, with increased armed conflict and fighting, targeting of humanitarian aid workers, military build-up, increased sea piracy, and political tension. This situation is severely undermining economic activities and humanitarian delivery, thus contributing to the overall deterioration in the humanitarian situation.

Emergency levels of acute malnutrition continue to be reported in many parts of area.

Based on the findings from the surveys conducted in 2008, an estimated 180,000 children are believed to be acutely malnourished, of which very limited numbers have access to rehabilitation centres. This number represents 1 in 6 of all children under the age of 5 years and is an increase of 11% in the last six months.

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