Somalia: Severe water crisis unravels as sources dry up
By Erich Ogoso
As drought deepens across Somalia, people are forced to trek for miles, even days, in search of water and food.
The Government has declared a national drought emergency and called for urgent assistance to affected people.
Fatuma Ali, a mother of six, travelled for seven days — nearly 170 km from her home in Ceel Boon, Bakool Region — and arrived at Kabasa displacement camp in Doolow, Gedo Region.
She explained: “We came from Let Makti village in Waajid because we had nothing to eat. The rains we relied on for our farm failed for more than a year and we had no livestock to sustain us. We are seeking help.”
An estimated 4.4 million people – more than one fifth of Somalia’s population – are projected to have been struggling with acute food insecurity since October.
Severe drought conditions in the north have displaced an estimated 156,000 people in Sanaag, Sool and Togdheer Regions. Similar conditions are also reported in Bari and Mudug Regions.
Key water sources are rapidly diminishing as drought conditions escalate, triggering acute shortages for hundreds of thousands of people.
“People walk up to 30 km to find water,” said Abdikani Hassan, the Humanitarian and Development Coordinator for Doolow district. He added that water suppliers now charge up to US$1 for a 20-litre jerrycan.
The emergency stems from the poor performance of the April–June rains and the shorter October–December season. Authorities report that more than 570,000 people in Gedo, Lower Juba and Middle Juba Regions are facing acute water shortages.
Deeper impact
In early December, OCHA visited some drought-affected villages to uncover the wider impact on areas such as health and livelihoods.
Siinaay village, 15 km north-east of Doolow town, smothered by simmering heat, last received light rain in May. The vegetation has dried up, and dust clouds hang over the empty land. A water reservoir constructed by aid agencies two years ago sat empty; the area never received enough rain to fill it, and high temperatures evaporated whatever water had accumulated.
The small clinic in the village provides basic healthcare and outreach programmes. But Omar Fani from Vision Corps Initiative, an international partner supporting the clinic, explained that more people from surrounding pastoral communities now seek help: “We used to serve about 5,000 clients. Due to the drought conditions, we are now receiving twice as many clients.”
Livelihoods suffer
Livestock is the main livelihood asset for pastoralist families, but it’s increasingly at risk. Authorities estimate that more than 2 million head of cattle are threatened by the drought conditions. Business at Doolow livestock market has slackened. One trader said: “People are only bringing the healthiest livestock; no one buys skinny ones. Prices have fallen by about 50 per cent; a goat that sold for $70 now goes for $30 to $35.”
In Doolow town, water levels in the Juba and Dawa Rivers have dropped. “Normally the river would be full or even flooding because we should be at the end of the October–December rain season,” said an aid worker.
The river is a lifeline for local communities. Mohamed Abdullahi Kusow, Coordinator for the Water Resources Ministry in Doolow district, warned that any further decline in river levels will have serious consequences for livelihoods, water quality and public health.
“Small-scale farmers will struggle to irrigate their farms, resulting in reduced crop yields and lower productivity,” he said, adding that communities that use river water could face the risk of acute watery diarrhoea due to possible contamination. In addition, falling water levels will affect nearby wells, making them more saline, reducing output and, in some cases, rendering the water undrinkable.
Aid agencies expect a surge in displacement as agropastoralists migrate further to find water and pasture. Movements are already reported towards neighbouring Ethiopia and Kenya and into Doolow district, where half of the population of about 200,000 already consists of displaced people.
Financial constraints
Humanitarians are mobilizing to respond: mapping supply stocks, visiting locations to assess the severity of the situation and reviewing available resources for early action. However, they are constrained by funding shortfalls. As of 2 December, the 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan has received only 24 per cent of the requested funds.
Response at the local level is also affected. Relief came to Siinaay in November, when a local non-governmental organization, Lifeline Gedo, began trucking water to the village. However, the relief was short-lived as the partner ran out of funds and suspended the programme on 1 December.
“We were delivering 10,000 litres of water a day,” said Abdi Abdullahi, Technical Manager for Lifeline Gedo. “We are appealing for support to continue providing water for this community.”
Aid agencies warn that early 2026 will be decisive, because the next rains are not expected until April.
The UN Global Emergency Fund (CERF) has allocated $10 million as part of the drought response.
As the climate crisis deepens, we need to invest in early action to build communities' resilience to climate shocks.
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