By ’Dogga Luwo

 

Approximately 62.9 million people, constituting 25% of the analyzed population in seven IGAD countries, are facing high levels of acute food insecurity in 2024, the IGAD Regional Focus of the 2024 Global Report on Food Crises has revealed.

This marks an increase from 61.9 million in 2023, emphasizing the critical nature of the situation and the urgent need for immediate action.

The report released this week highlights a worsening food insecurity crisis affecting Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.

It further indicates a sustained rise in acute food insecurity over the past five years, stressing the urgent need for coordinated efforts to address escalating humanitarian demands.

In Sudan, famine conditions are ongoing in the Zamzam camp in North Darfur, with 13 additional areas at risk, according to the report.

Severe climate extremes have significantly contributed to this crisis, particularly the prolonged drought in the Eastern Horn of Africa from 2020 to 2023, compounded by recent flood events linked to El Niño.

Continued dry conditions in 2023 and early 2024 have further adversely affected agricultural production across the region, the report stated.

Economic challenges have further exacerbated food insecurity, with IGAD countries facing currency depreciation, soaring inflation, and volatility in global food markets.

Additionally, the report stated that the displacement crisis in the region has reached unprecedented levels, with 25 million people forcibly displaced by mid-2024, marking the highest displacement figures on record.

It noted that the ongoing conflict in Sudan has internally displaced 7.9 million people since April 2023, making it the world’s largest internal displacement crisis.

The deteriorating conditions in the IGAD region require an immediate and coordinated response from partners and member states to address the escalating humanitarian needs and mitigate the impacts of the food insecurity crisis.

“These figures illustrate a humanitarian crisis in our region. Climate extremes and economic shocks are leading to unprecedented levels of food insecurity, putting millions of lives at risk,” said IGAD’s Executive Secretary, Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu

He said the conflict in the region has exacerbated food insecurity, creating a vicious cycle that further destabilizes communities.

“To make progress, we must address these interconnected issues by strengthening our collective efforts, building the resilience of our communities, and addressing the root causes of conflict to pave the way for long-term stability and development in our region,” stated IGAD’s Executive Secretary.

World Food Program’s (WFP), WFP’s Deputy Regional Director for Eastern Africa Rukia Yacoub stated that the conflict in Sudan has triggered the world’s largest hunger crisis, with more than half the population struggling to put enough food on their plates every day.

“Violence and insecurity have driven millions of people to seek refuge both within their own country and in neighbouring countries which are already grappling with high levels of food insecurity and instability. This is putting even more pressure on limited humanitarian resources,” said Rukia.

FAO’s Subregional Coordinator for Eastern Africa and Representative to the AU and UNECA, Farayi Zimudzi, noted, “We are witnessing a fifth consecutive year of worsening food insecurity in the IGAD region. It is evident that a shift is necessary – from reactive emergency responses to a proactive, anticipatory approach that mitigates the impacts of shocks, safeguarding livelihoods and food security.”

He emphasized the urgent need for peace-building initiatives and conflict-sensitive programs to protect agricultural production and support rural livelihoods, highlighting the catastrophic impacts of regional conflicts on food security and malnutrition.

Acute food insecurity is when a person’s inability to access food jeopardizes their life or livelihood, assessed using internationally recognized measures like the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).