Somalia
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The food security situation in Somalia improved considerably in post-Deyr 2011/12 compared to last year when a famine ravaged many of the southern parts of the country. In the April-June 2012 period, 2.51 million people across the country remain in food security phases of Crisis or Emergency as classified earlier this year (Jan '12). However, the number of people in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) has reduced, as Juba and Gedo riverine livelihoods have improved from Emergency to Crisis (IPC Phase 3) (Table 1). The contributing factors to these improvements include a sizable off-season maize harvest (Mar-Apr '12) and on-going fishing activities in Juba riverine; and access to labour income for cash crop activities in Gedo riverine. The poor households in Gedo region also have the highest Terms-of-Trade (ToT) between labour and cereals in the country (Mar '12). Forecasts for near normal Belg rains in the Ethiopian highlands (mid-Mar–2nd dekad of June)1 should ensure availability of irrigation from river water in southern Somalia. Irrigation access will provide the poor riverine population with opportunities for farm labour and own crop production in this Gu season. The food security situation in the rest of Somalia will remain unchanged up to June 2012, regardless of the behavior of Gu rains, which currently is projected to be below normal. This is due to the positive effects of favorable Deyr (Oct-Nov '11) season and the humanitarian support in the South in the first quarter of the current year. The impact of both factors are reflected in the improved cereal supply in the country; presence of cereal stocks among many of the poor farmers; declining trend in cereal prices and a strengthening purchasing power; reduced cost of living for market-dependent population, which currently include the majority of Somalia's population; largely sustained good to average livestock conditions; increased kidding/lambing; and improved livestock prices.
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Occasionally, FEWS NET will publish a Special Report that serves to provide an in-depth analysis of food security issues of particular concern that are not covered in FEWS NET’s regular monthly reporting. These reports may focus on a specific factor driving food security outcomes anywhere in the world during a specified period of time. For example, in 2019, FEWS NET produced a Special Report on widespread flooding in East Africa and its associated impacts on regional food security.