6.8 million children from 'Horn of Africa' facing starvation, warns 'Action Ag

Paris: Action Against Hunger, a non-governmental organization, has warned that 6.8 million children in the so-called Horn of Africa are facing severe Hunger. According to a report released by the group, the number of children suffering from Hunger has risen by 55% in Somalia alone. Action Against Hunger warns that countries in the Horn of Africa are facing severe famine, civil war and skyrocketing food prices, leading to hunger and food shortages.

Moreover, Action Against Hunger, headquartered in France, has been reporting on the dire situation in the Horn of Africa for two consecutive months, April and May. The Horn of Africa includes Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia. These three countries in Africa have not received enough rain in the last three years. These countries have experienced the worst drought since the 1980s. The available water sources have been depleted and the lands have been eroded.

The wasted farming season has led to severe food shortages and millions of families are facing starvation and malnutrition. In addition, the war between Russia and Ukraine has disrupted food supplies and led to a shortage of food. There has been a huge increase in food prices. Along with food grains, fuel prices have also skyrocketed. As a result, the cost of transportation of food, water and other necessities of life has also increased.

Rising hunger and food shortages could have devastating effects on countries in the Horn of Africa. ‘We do not have enough funds or medicines to fight hunger and malnutrition,’ said Ahmed Khalif, chief executive of Action Against Hunger in Somalia. He pointed out that only 15% of the humanitarian aid that Somalia needs has been made available this year.

A few months ago, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) drew attention to the problem of food shortages and Hunger, including a severe drought in the Horn of Africa region. According to that, over thirteen million people in Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia face starvation. If the situation is to be brought under control, nearly twenty million people in Eritrea, along with these three countries in the Horn of Africa, will have to be supplied with food and water for the next six months. The report said that failure to do so could lead about 1.4 million children in the region to become victims of malnutrition.