Somalia's chronic drought pushes thousands into displacement as hunger worsens
Chronic drought in Somalia has forced thousands to flee to Baidoa, where hunger is deepening and aid is shrinking.
After nearly two weeks on the road with her five children, Luul Mohamed arrived in the southwestern Somali city of Baidoa with no food and little certainty about what comes next. Her family had left Saakoow, a town in the Middle Jubba region more than 300 kilometers away, moving from village to village before reaching Baidoa on August 3.
"We are very hungry and in a desperate situation," Mohamed said. "We have nothing to eat and can only place our hope in God."
Mohamed's journey reflects a broader emergency unfolding across Somalia, where years of drought, conflict, and economic strain are driving rural families into sprawling displacement camps. Baidoa has become a major hub for those fleeing hunger and insecurity.
Habiba Adan, another displaced person, said the drought has now stretched for four consecutive years. "This year, most crops have again been decimated," she said. "Farmers were only able to harvest enough to sow their fields for the next season, leaving our future bleak."
Reena Ghelani, CEO of Plan International, said many families tried to hold on through successive dry seasons but were left with no choice once their resources ran out. "They have no water. They have no stocks. The animals have died. There is literally nothing left anymore," she said.
Aid agencies report that about 2 million people in Somalia are facing emergency levels of food insecurity — more than double the number recorded last year. Health workers in Baidoa say malnutrition is widespread, with patients arriving from the Bay, Bakool, and Gedo regions.
MSF data presented in Nairobi shows a mortality rate of nearly one death per day per 10,000 children over the past year, with the rate rising in recent months. Health advisors warn that repeated admissions for malnutrition are creating a vicious cycle that requires scaled-up humanitarian response.
Compounding the crisis, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization projects a greater than 90% probability of El Niño conditions developing from mid-2026, bringing a severe risk of flooding during Somalia's October-to-December rainy season. The country remains highly vulnerable to extreme weather, having experienced repeated cycles of drought followed by destructive floods.
Humanitarian groups and Somalia's Disaster Management Agency are calling for increased international assistance, warning that another climate shock could deepen an already critical situation.