As the region struggles to recover from the devastating effects of four failed rainy seasons, East Africa is now on the brink of a severe drought that could have catastrophic consequences. According to a joint alert issued by humanitarian partners and meteorological agencies, the situation is expected to worsen due to prospects of an unprecedented fifth poor rains season between October and December 2022.
Experts warn that the October-December rainy season is at risk of failing, which would further deepen the already severe humanitarian emergency in the East Africa region. The 2022 March-May rainy season is likely to be the driest on record, with devastating effects on livelihoods, food prices, and water and nutrition security.
Available data indicates that an estimated 1.5 million livestock have died in Kenya and 2.1 million in Ethiopia, while over 1 million people have been displaced in Somalia and Southern Ethiopia. Existing water deficits have been exacerbated by high air temperatures, which are forecast to continue into the June-September dry season.
The Food Security and Nutrition Working Group (FSNWG) estimates that 16.7 million people currently face acute food insecurity and projects figures to increase to 20 million by September 2022. The situation is dire, and immediate action is needed to mitigate the effects of this drought.
