- An estimated 62.9 million people in 10 of the 13 countries covered by the FSNWG were highly food insecure (IPC2 Phase 3+) and in need of urgent assistance in April 2021. Of these, about 32.3 million were from seven of the eight IGAD Member States.
- In the DRC, an estimated 27.3 million people are highly food insecure (IPC Phase 3+), making the country home to the highest number of people in need of urgent food assistance in the world.
- The food security situation in South Sudan remains a major source of concern as the number of highly food insecure people (IPC Phase 3+) rose to 7.2 million following the start of the lean season. Scaled up interventions to save lives and protect livelihoods are urgently needed.
- In the Tigray region of Ethiopia, the nutrition situation remains critical with Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) prevalence3 in assessed woredas ranging between 20-35%.
- Tigray and Somali refugees in Sudan, and Dollo Ado in Ethiopia respectively, face high levels of acute malnutrition. For instance, nutrition screening of newly arrived refugees in Dollo Ado indicated a GAM rate4 of 23% among children under the age of five.
- The humanitarian response in the region remains underfunded, despite growing needs. In South Sudan for instance, just 18.8% of the funding requirement for the 2021 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) had been met at the time of reporting, despite life threatening levels of food insecurity and malnutrition. In addition, refugees in the region continue to face food ration cuts, most recently in Burundi and South Sudan, due to funding shortfalls.
- The March-May 2021 rainy season saw a slow start with below-average rainfall observed in many areas, risking crop failure.
Tags:
food security
,
Nutrition
,
displacement
