IGAD report warns 167 million face severe food insecurity across Africa

The food crisis in Africa has expanded to affect more than 167 million individuals. Among these, 40 million reside in six countries belonging to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). The surge in populations experiencing high levels of food insecurity indicates that the emergency is no longer confined to traditional conflict zones. Instead, it has spread from East Africa to extensive areas within the Sahel and West Africa.

Drivers of agricultural decline

Several intertwined factors contribute to this deterioration. Armed conflicts, large-scale displacement, and reduced agricultural production stand out as primary causes. Additionally, droughts and floods have compounded the situation, alongside rising food prices and diminished purchasing power. These conditions leave millions of households unable to secure their basic needs.

Drought conditions worsened following a season recorded as one of the driest ever in wide parts of the continent. Scarce rainfall resulted in crop damage, severe shortages in grazing lands, and insufficient water supplies. High costs for essential food items further eroded household buying capacity.

Regional impact assessment

An IGAD report, identifying the organization as a sub-regional body in East Africa, warned that millions in Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda face high levels of acute food insecurity in 2026. Mohammed Abdi Ware, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the organization, stated that the scale of the crisis demands a shift from merely responding to emergencies toward anticipating and preventing them. He noted that behind the statistics are families struggling to provide food, farmers and herders whose livelihoods have been disrupted, and children suffering from malnutrition.

Sudan currently faces the largest food crisis in the region. Between February and May 2026, 19.5 million people—representing 41 percent of the analyzed population—encountered high levels of acute food insecurity. South Sudan records the highest prevalence rates, with 55 percent of its inhabitants facing acute food insecurity between April and July. The number of individuals requiring urgent assistance in food and livelihood sectors reached 7.8 million, an increase of approximately 103,200 people compared to the peak figures registered in 2025.

Crisis severity metrics

Approximately 2.5 million people were classified at the "Emergency" phase, while 73,000 faced "Catastrophic" conditions. Somalia also experienced a sharp decline in food security. Nearly 6.5 million people, or 33 percent of the population, faced high levels of acute food insecurity between February and March 2026. This figure represents an increase of 1.9 million people compared to the 2025 peak.

In arid and semi-arid regions of Kenya, 4.1 million people—including nearly 429,500 refugees—faced high levels of acute food insecurity between April and June 2026. This number exceeded the 2025 peak by 46 percent, marking an approximate increase of 1.3 million people. In Djibouti, projections indicate that 300,000 people, equivalent to 25 percent of the analyzed population, will face high levels of acute food insecurity between July and December 2026.