Somalia malnutrition crisis worsens as humanitarian funding drops
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reports a severe surge in malnutrition in Somalia, particularly in the Baidoa region of Southwest Somalia, amid a massive drop in international humanitarian funding. A July survey of 888 households in 14 displacement sites found that one in four children is severely malnourished, while 50% of screened children under five suffer from acute malnutrition.
Funding to address these needs has plummeted by over 80% this year. MSF noted that the United States reduced its support from $70 million last year to zero this year. Total available donor funding for Somalia is estimated at $300 million, a significant decrease from the $2.2 billion provided in 2022 during a similar drought.
The crisis is driven by consecutive failed rainy seasons and worsening drought, which have devastated crops and livestock. According to the United Nations, more than 500,000 people were displaced in Somalia during the first three months of 2026, with women and children making up 85% of those displaced. In February, the Somali government and the UN estimated that 6.5 million people faced acute hunger.
Entities
Baidoa · Médecins Sans Frontières · Somalia · United Nations · United States
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Funding to address acute malnutrition in parts of Somalia has decreased by more than 80% this year. kelo.com · kfgo.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] One-third of surveyed families in Baidoa displacement sites survive on only one meal per day. martinplaut.com · kelo.com · kfgo.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Approximately 6.5 million people in Somalia faced acute hunger as of February 2026. kelo.com · kfgo.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] In Baidoa displacement sites, 50% of screened children are acutely malnourished. martinplaut.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Over 500,000 people were displaced in Somalia during the first three months of 2026. martinplaut.com · kelo.com · kfgo.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] One in four children screened in southwest Somalia displacement camps is severely malnourished. martinplaut.com · kelo.com · kfgo.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Available donor funding for Somalia is approximately $300 million, down from $2.2 billion in 2022. kelo.com · kfgo.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The United States reduced its support to aid agencies in Somalia from $70 million last year to zero this year. kelo.com · kfgo.com