Somalia Malnutrition Crisis Worsens as Aid Funding Falls
_x000D_The Somalia malnutrition crisis is worsening as funding for nutrition programs falls by more than 80% this year. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) says the sharp decline comes as more children face severe hunger in displacement camps across southwestern Somalia.
_x000D_The aid group warned that one in four children screened at displacement sites in Baidoa was severely malnourished. Meanwhile, thousands of families are struggling to find enough food as drought, conflict and displacement continue to deepen the humanitarian crisis.
_x000D_MSF said donor support has fallen sharply even as the number of children needing treatment continues to rise.
_x000D_ _x000D_US Funding Cuts Add Pressure
_x000D_MSF Health Adviser Mitchell Sangma said US support for aid agencies in Somalia fell from about $70 million last year to zero this year, according to the organization.
_x000D_Other Western donors have also reduced their contributions.
_x000D_At the same time, MSF has treated far more children for malnutrition. The organization said it admitted about 22,000 nutrition cases this year, more than 80% higher than last year.
_x000D_Sangma warned that aid agencies need to expand their response, but shrinking donor support is making that increasingly difficult.
_x000D_ _x000D_Children Face Severe Malnutrition
_x000D_The situation in Baidoa shows the scale of the crisis.
_x000D_An MSF survey of 888 households across 14 displacement sites found that one in four children suffered from severe malnutrition.
_x000D_Food shortages have also affected families directly. Around one-third of households surveyed said they survived on just one meal a day.
_x000D_Only about 2% of families said they could afford three meals each day.
_x000D_These figures show how quickly food insecurity can affect children, particularly those living in crowded displacement camps.
_x000D_ _x000D_Drought Drives Somalia’s Hunger Crisis
_x000D_Repeated failed rainy seasons have severely damaged livelihoods across Somalia.
_x000D_Farmers have lost crops, while livestock deaths have reduced food supplies and household income. Water sources have also become increasingly difficult to access.
_x000D_Furthermore, conflict and insecurity have made the situation worse. Violence has disrupted livelihoods and made it harder for humanitarian organizations to reach vulnerable communities.
_x000D_In February, the Somali government and the United Nations warned that around 6.5 million people faced acute hunger because of drought.
_x000D_ _x000D_Malnutrition Rates Remain Extremely High
_x000D_MSF has screened more than 21,000 children under five in Baidoa since the beginning of the year.
_x000D_The organization found acute malnutrition rates of around 50% among the children screened.
_x000D_Acute malnutrition can cause rapid weight loss and serious health complications. Severe cases can become fatal without timely treatment.
_x000D_Therefore, humanitarian agencies say early intervention remains essential.
_x000D_Waiting until conditions reach famine levels could cost many lives.
_x000D_ _x000D_Somalia Faces Rising Displacement
_x000D_The Somalia malnutrition crisis is also closely linked to displacement.
_x000D_According to the United Nations, more than 500,000 people were displaced in Somalia during the first three months of 2026. Drought accounted for most of the displacement.
_x000D_Women and children represented about 85% of those forced to leave their homes.
_x000D_Many displaced families arrive at camps with few possessions and limited access to food, clean water and healthcare.
_x000D_Children are especially vulnerable when families lose access to regular meals and medical services.
_x000D_ _x000D_Aid Shortage Raises Famine Fears
_x000D_Humanitarian organizations are increasingly concerned that Somalia could face conditions similar to the near-famine crisis of 2022.
_x000D_However, the current response has far fewer resources.
_x000D_MSF estimates that donors have provided about $300 million for Somalia this year. In 2022, donors provided roughly $2.2 billion during a similarly severe drought.
_x000D_That huge difference has left aid organizations with fewer resources to respond to growing needs.
_x000D_Consequently, medical teams face difficult choices about where to concentrate limited assistance.
_x000D_ _x000D_Aid Agencies Warn Against Waiting
_x000D_MSF says the international community must act before the situation reaches famine conditions.
_x000D_Allara Ali, the organization’s project coordinator in Somalia, said waiting for an official famine declaration would be too late.
_x000D_Aid groups want donors to increase funding for nutrition programs, healthcare, food assistance and water supplies.
_x000D_They also say support must reach displaced communities before malnutrition becomes more severe.
_x000D_ _x000D_Somalia Needs Urgent International Support
_x000D_The Somalia malnutrition crisis has developed through several overlapping pressures.
_x000D_Drought has destroyed livelihoods. Conflict has restricted access to food and healthcare. Displacement has pushed vulnerable families into overcrowded camps.
_x000D_Now, a major reduction in international funding is adding another challenge.
_x000D_Aid agencies say they need resources immediately to treat malnourished children and prevent more severe hunger.
_x000D_Without additional funding, Somalia could face a much deeper humanitarian emergency in the months ahead.
_x000D_For families already surviving on one meal a day, the consequences of delayed action could be devastating.
