Experts issue warning as devastating shocks fuel rise in food prices: 'Pushing families deeper into crisis'
More Somalians are at risk of facing food insecurity and displacement in the coming months, "pushing families deeper into crisis," said Etienne Peterschmitt, head of the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization in Somalia, per IIT.
As farmers in Japan, India, and South Africa have all experienced, drought conditions, followed by intense and erratic heavy rainfall, have proved quite difficult to farm in. These extreme weather events and the inconsistent water supply have led to reduced crop yields, increased livestock deaths, and increased agricultural production costs — a burden that is inevitably passed on to consumers.
In Somalia, where more than half of the population lives below the poverty line — surviving on less than $2.06 per day, according to the 2023 Somalia Poverty Report — rising food prices put food out of reach for many.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification tool, a global food security tracker, estimates that 24% of the entire country has reached Phase 3, or a crisis stage. According to India International Times, IPC estimates that 1.7 million children aged 5 or under will suffer from acute malnutrition this year, with almost two-thirds of these cases occurring in southern Somalia.
Rising global temperatures bring about heat stress and drought conditions that reduce crop yields, which could disrupt the food supply and raise food prices for the average consumer.
As Americans have experienced with the massive hike in egg prices, consumers feel the strain of food price hikes on top of the increased cost of daily living.
Crop losses due to extreme weather events exacerbate Somalia's food insecurity, causing food prices to remain high and forcing more people to go hungry. These events have also impaired crucial water and sanitation services and infrastructures, causing more waterborne diseases, including diarrhea and cholera.
While you may not be able to directly affect what's happening in Somalia, you can still effect positive change from where you are.
If you have extra time and want to give back, volunteer at food banks and co-ops that feed the community. Donate nonperishable food to organizations that work to fight food insecurity.
Do you worry about how much food you throw away?
Definitely
Sometimes
Not really
Never
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.
If you feel inclined to contribute monetarily, find a nonprofit organization that actively addresses the food crisis and water and sanitation problems that Somalia is facing. Find one that not only addresses the country's immediate concerns but also invests in the country's future, such as having initiatives that empower women to create a brighter future for themselves and their families.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Do you live in the loneliest state in America?
Loneliness seems to be a pervasive part of life in the United States. In 2023, the surgeon general warned of an epidemic of loneliness. And the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that 40.6% of Americans say they sometimes, usually or always feel lonely. Increasing rates of social isolation have likely played a role. In states like Oregon and Alaska, where fewer people report regularly hanging out with friends and talking on the phone, loneliness is especially prevalent. Still, social engagement may not be a cure-all for loneliness. In New York state, more people than anywhere else in the country hang out with and call friends and family at least three times a week, but 44% say they don't consistently receive the emotional support they need — one of the highest rates in the nation. That lack of support, even if you don't spend much time alone, can contribute to lonely feelings. To better understand how social engagement and emotional support shape loneliness, Yahoo News used data from the Census Household Pulse Survey to visualize the loneliest states. Explore the map and table to see the loneliest states and how social connection contributes to differences.
The Onion
2 hours ago
- The Onion
CDC Recommends Eating A Nice Crisp Shiny Apple Instead Of Having Unprotected Sex
ATLANTA—Claiming that the experience could provide as much satisfaction as unsafe sex, a new report released by the Centers for Disease Control this week recommends Americans eat a nice, shiny apple instead of having unprotected intercourse. 'What we are finding is that the risks associated with irresponsible sexual acts far exceed those of chomping on this delicious fruit,' said CDC director Susan Monarez, adding that it took the same amount of effort to chew and savor a ripe Honeycrisp apple as it did to remove a condom and 'raw-dog' a lover to completion. 'When compared to individuals who engage in unprotected sex, those who consume apples have far lower rates of genital warts. While it is true that eating an apple too quickly may result in temporary abdominal pain, the risks associated with gonorrhea are far worse. The message is clear: If you're considering going to a bathhouse to have anonymous sex with multiple partners, make the smart choice and try a Granny Smith instead.' The CDC also announced plans to distribute free apples in high schools around the country using money saved from cutting sex education programs.
The Hill
3 hours ago
- The Hill
What does declaring famine mean, and why hasn't it been done in Gaza?
The deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is sparking global indignation, with a group of experts warning the war-torn enclave is on the brink of famine, if it hasn't already reached it. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC — which is backed by the United Nations and major relief agencies — issued an alert Tuesday, contending 'the worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out in the Gaza Strip.' But the alert does not formally designate famine in the territory. A famine rating would require three thresholds to be reached: at least 20 percent of households facing an extreme lack of food, at least 30 percent of children suffering from acute malnutrition and two people for every 10,000 dying per day due to outright starvation or to the interaction of malnutrition and disease, according to the IPC. Experts have not been able to corroborate the latter as it would require gathering data in Gaza, which it cannot access due to severe restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities following Hamas's attack on Oct. 7, 2023. Israel maintains it is not responsible for the hunger crisis, despite restricting aid into Gaza at times throughout the conflict. The Israeli government justified a full blockade of aid in March on the basis that Hamas would otherwise steal the supplies. The militant group has rejected this claim. More than 100 aid organizations, including Médecins Sans Frontières and Save the Children, have accused Israel of causing 'mass starvation' by shutting its land crossings for months while tons of food, clean water, medical supplies, shelter items and fuel sits idle at the border. Since May, Israel has allowed some aid back into Gaza, but aid agencies assert that the amounts are woefully insufficient. Distribution sites run by the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation have been wracked by fatal violence. A spokesperson for a United Nations human rights body said in mid-July that, by then, 875 people had been killed while seeking aid in Gaza, including 674 'in the vicinity of GHF sites.' Recent weeks have seen a rise in international condemnation of Israel's policies as malnutrition in Gaza has grown more dire. At least one person in three in Gaza is going without food for days at a time, according to the IPC, and at least 16 children under the age of five have died from 'hunger-related causes' since mid-July. In response, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement Monday it would continue to work with international aid agencies, as well as the U.S. and European nations, 'to ensure that large amounts of humanitarian aid flows into the Gaza Strip.' 'As part of this effort, Israel paused IDF operations in key populated areas of Gaza from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day and designated secure routes from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. that will ensure the safe passage of more convoys delivering aid,' the statement read. President Trump, asked point-blank on Monday if he agrees with Netanyahu's assessment that there is no starvation in Gaza, said, 'Based on television, I would say not particularly.' 'Some of those kids, that's real starvation stuff. I see it. You can't fake that,' Trump acknowledged while on a visit to Scotland, adding, 'We have to get the kids fed.'
