The price of essential household commodities has continued to rise, placing additional pressure on families already struggling with drought and hunger. Sugar prices have increased by 13.3%, rice by 9.6%, flour by 16%, cooking oil by 21.4%, and milk by 42.
Fertilizer prices have surged dramatically amid regional instability and supply chain disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz crisis, threatening agricultural production at a critical moment for Somalia’s farming communities. Urea prices have risen fro
Mogadishu, Somalia, May 15, 2026 — The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is warning that Somalia is once again approaching catastrophic levels of hunger following alarming new IPC and FEWS NET projections showing a credible risk of famine in Bay and Bakool regions if the current Gu rains continue to underperform.
The warning comes as humanitarian agencies report rising levels of acute malnutrition in clinics across Somalia amid collapsing aid funding, rising food prices, delayed rainfall, worsening crop and livestock conditions, and intensifying climate shocks across the Horn of Africa. The IRC warned that the international community cannot afford a repeat of the catastrophic 2020 to 2023 hunger crisis, when Somalia came dangerously close to famine and tens of thousands of people died due to drought, hunger, displacement, and delayed humanitarian action.
Richard Crothers, IRC Somalia Country Director, said:
“Somalia is once again standing at the edge of catastrophe. Communities are already telling us that rains have started late, many areas remain dry, crops are struggling, livestock conditions are deteriorating, and malnutrition is increasing in our clinics. People are anxiously waiting to see whether the rains will come, because the stakes could not be higher.
“We have seen this story before. Between 2020 and 2023, delayed action, repeated climate shocks, conflict, and insufficient funding pushed Somalia to the brink of famine and cost countless lives. The warning signs are once again flashing red.
“What makes this moment even more dangerous is that humanitarian organizations are trying to respond amid historic global funding cuts and rising operational costs. Families are facing rising food prices, rising fuel costs, and soaring fertilizer prices at the exact moment they need support the most. Humanitarian agencies are simultaneously being forced to scale back services because funding is collapsing.
“This is a crisis of access, affordability, and global political failure. Without urgent action now, Somalia risks becoming one of the clearest examples of what happens when early warnings are ignored and humanitarian systems are allowed to erode.”
At the same time, Somalia is facing mounting economic pressures that are pushing essential commodities further out of reach for vulnerable households. Recent market monitoring shows significant increases in the price of staple foods and agricultural inputs linked to regional instability and global supply chain disruptions. Fertilizer prices have risen sharply, while the cost of sugar, rice, flour, cooking oil, and milk have all increased in recent weeks, compounding pressure on farming communities already facing failed rains and poor harvest prospects. Fuel prices also remain significantly above pre-crisis levels, driving up the cost of transporting food, water, medical supplies, and humanitarian assistance across Somalia.
Somalia is currently facing one of the world’s most severe hunger crises, with millions of people experiencing acute food insecurity and rising levels of acute malnutrition among children. Aid agencies warn that funding shortfalls have been forcing major reductions in humanitarian operations across the country at a time when needs are accelerating. The IRC is already implementing simplified approaches to combine treatment of severe and moderate acute malnutrition in Somalia, which streamlines treatment and allows more children to be reached quickly and effectively. At a time of rising needs and shrinking resources, this approach is needed now more than ever.
The IRC is calling for an immediate scale-up in humanitarian funding to prevent famine conditions from emerging, alongside urgent support for nutrition, health, water, sanitation, and cash assistance programs across affected communities. IRC is also urging greater investment in climate adaptation and drought resilience for farming households, as well as coordinated international action to stabilize supply chains and reduce the rising fuel, food, and fertilizer costs that are pushing essential goods further out of reach. Above all, the IRC is calling for sustained global attention and early action to ensure Somalia does not once again descend into a preventable catastrophe.
The IRC continues to provide emergency health, nutrition, water, sanitation, and protection services to vulnerable communities across Somalia.