Drought in East Africa January 2026

A severe drought has been gripping East Africa, particularly Somalia, southeastern Ethiopia, and eastern Kenya, with devastating consequences for the agricultural sector. The drought is expected to cause crop failures and yield losses, exacerbating food insecurity and threatening the livelihood of millions of people. Soil moisture levels are at historic lows, with vegetation conditions being severely affected by the lack of rainfall and by the high temperatures. The humanitarian crisis is worsening, with 4.6 million people already affected and over 135,000 displaced in Somalia. Seasonal forecasts offer little respite, with spots of drier-than-average conditions predicted for southern Somalia and southeastern Kenya in the coming months, but significant forecast uncertainty.