Food insecurity: exceptional shortfall in aggregate food production/supplies: due to poor seasonal rains - about 2.8 million people are estimated to be severely food insecure in the April-September 2021 period, mainly as a result of the cumulative impact of poor October-December 2020 “Deyr” rains and April-June “Gu” rains, which severely affected crop and livestock production; below-average cereal output gathered in 2020; production of 2021 main season cereals forecast at 20-40 percent below average due to unfavorable seasonal rains; severe pasture and water shortages in pastoral areas are affecting livestock conditions (2021)
Definition: Food crises are nearly always due to a combination of factors, but it is important to establish whether the nature of food crises is predominantly related to lack of food availability, limited access to food, or severe but localized problems. Countries in crisis requiring external assistance for food are expected to lack the resources to deal with reported critical problems of food insecurity. Three levels of crises are described in this field in descending severity: countries facing an exceptional shortfall in aggregate food production/supplies as a result of crop failure, natural disasters, interruption of imports, disruption of distribution, excessive post-harvest losses, or other supply bottlenecks; countries with widespread lack of access, where a majority of the population is considered to be unable to procure food from local markets, due to very low incomes, exceptionally high food prices, or the inability to circulate within the country; countries with severe localized food insecurity due to the influx of refugees, a concentration of internally displaced persons, or areas with combinations of crop failure and deep poverty.
Source: CIA World Factbook - This page was last updated on Saturday, September 18, 2021
