Baidoa, December 17, 2025 — The Government of South West State (SWS) has issued a stark warning of an imminent humanitarian crisis, citing worsening food insecurity, rising malnutrition rates, water shortages, and poor agricultural performance across the region.
In a press release issued on Tuesday, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management (MoHADM) said recent assessments and field reports indicate that living conditions in many parts of South West State are rapidly deteriorating and could reach emergency levels in the coming months.
According to data from the Food Security and Nutrition Assessment Unit (FSNAU), more than 621,000 people in South West State are currently in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. The situation is expected to worsen during the January–March 2026 Jilaal dry season, traditionally the harshest period for food and water availability.
The nutrition outlook is particularly alarming. FSNAU reports show that 134,970 children under the age of five are suffering from severe acute malnutrition, placing them at high risk of illness and death without immediate intervention.
Water scarcity is also intensifying following below-average Deyr rains, with water sources across all regions depleting rapidly. As a result, families and livestock are being forced to travel longer distances in search of water, further increasing vulnerability and protection risks.
The Ministry of Agriculture has additionally warned of reduced agricultural output, noting that many farming areas received scarce rainfall during the Deyr season. This is expected to significantly lower seasonal crop yields, compounding food shortages and undermining household livelihoods.
Reports received by MoHADM from regional and district authorities, as well as community organizations, consistently raise alarm over the worsening humanitarian conditions, with communities struggling to meet basic needs.
Following a comprehensive review of these indicators, the Ministry officially declared an alert, stating that a “looming humanitarian crisis is imminent” in South West State.
MoHADM has urgently called on the Federal Government of Somalia, international donors, and humanitarian partners to scale up immediate response efforts and closely monitor the evolving situation to avert loss of life.
The South West State Government reaffirmed its commitment to do everything possible to ensure affected communities receive the assistance they need and appealed to Somali citizens—particularly those from South West State—to play their part in supporting vulnerable populations.
