Seven million Somalis have lost their livestock as a prolonged drought devastates rural livelihoods across the country, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has said.

Somalia is grappling with a worsening humanitarian emergency that has crippled the rural economy and pushed millions toward severe food insecurity, with authorities and aid agencies warning that urgent assistance is needed to avert further deterioration.

“The backbone of our economy is collapsing,” Prime Minister Barre said, urging Somalis at home and in the diaspora to support communities hit hardest by the drought. “We must help each other during these difficult times to ensure no one is left behind.”

Nomadic and pastoralist families have reportedly lost millions of animals, cutting off critical sources of food such as milk and meat and wiping out household assets and savings commonly held in livestock.

The United Nations has warned of an escalating nutrition crisis, saying millions of children face acute malnutrition, while growing numbers of families are being displaced from drought-stricken areas and moving toward towns and cities including Baidoa and Mogadishu in search of assistance.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has declared the drought a national emergency and directed government institutions to step up response efforts. Last month, he exempted drought-response donations and humanitarian supplies from taxation, a measure intended to remove administrative barriers and speed up delivery of relief items to affected communities.

The UN has appealed for increased funding, warning that Somalia is facing one of its harshest periods in recent history and that sustained support is required to prevent a full-scale famine in a country highly exposed to climate shocks. For 2026, the UN is seeking about $852 million to assist vulnerable people across Somalia.