Nomadic communities hard hit by hunger crisis in Kenya, Somalia

Nomadic communities in Kenya and Somalia are hard hit by food shortages and skyrocketing prices, and addressing their needs is crucial to saving lives, a global charity said Wednesday.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said nearly 1 million people have been forced to leave their homes in search of food and water in parts of Somalia and Kenya as a catastrophic hunger crisis continues to unfold.

According to IFRC, more than 22 million people are approaching or experiencing a complete lack of food in the Horn of Africa and the situation is projected to get worse in early 2023.

“Millions of lives are at risk… It is crucial that aid is not just available — but that it also efficiently reaches the right people,” said Mohamed Babiker, IFRC’s head of the Kenya and Somalia delegation.

IFRC said most of the areas experiencing food insecurity in Kenya are in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) areas, where communities practice pastoralism and therefore depend mainly on meat and milk for nutrition and income.

It said the lack of rain has forced families out of their homes, in search of water and pasture.

“The response is facing two major challenges. The biggest one is the lack of sufficient resources to purchase emergency relief items. However, even if you have the money, you need to be able to reach these nomadic communities, efficiently and consistently,” Babiker said. “This is crucial. We call upon partners and donors to invest in institutions that have reliable access to families on the move.” Enditem