Somalia is in the grip of an intense drought, induced by four consecutive seasons of poor rainfall. In the worst affected areas, poor rainfall and lack of water has wiped out crops and killed livestock, while communities are being forced to sell their assets, and borrow food and money to survive. Since mid-2015, drought conditions have been expanding with impact worsening over time. The drought situation is compounded by protracted conflict, which is causing displacements, seasonal climatic shocks as a result of most extreme El Niño phenomenon in 50 years, and disease outbreaks.
Although famine has been prevented due to the scale up of humanitarian assistance, most people are still in crisis and the risk of famine is still very high. Recent assessments from UNOCHA and FSNAU predict a continuation of the drought in 2018 and 2019 with an increase in regions sliding to the next higher ICP phase.The latest food security and nutrition analysis from the FAO-managed Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU) and the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWSNET) issued on 2 February 2018 reveals that the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance has increased from 5 million in September 2016 to 6.2 million between February 2018 and June 2018. That is more than half the population. ACT Somalia Forum (ASF) members through Finn Church Aid, Norwegian Church Aid, Lutheran World Federation, Diakonia Sweden and Diakonia Katastrophenhilfe, have been implementing drought emergency response appeal at the onset of the famine declaration( March 2017- February 2018).
The ACT Somalia forum is seeking a revision and extension of the drought response appeal(SOM171) for the period beginning (March 2018- June 2018) due to the prolonged nature of the drought, various assessments by UNOCHA have indicated massive humanitarian needs, secondly due to the over-subscription by one of the requesting members DKH who received more funds than what they had budgeted for hence need for revision and lastly due to late funding that came in at the very end of the implementation period.
Appeals_ Drought Response in Somalia_ SOM 171 Revision.1
