By: Mohamed Duale
HARGEISA, Somaliland, March 13 (HornDiplomat) — A severe and prolonged drought is tightening its grip across Somaliland, leaving more than one million people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, according to findings from a recent drought impact assessment reviewed by HornDiplomat.
The report indicates that prolonged rainfall failure has triggered widespread water shortages, livestock losses, food insecurity and displacement across Somaliland. While drought conditions are affecting all regions, the situation is particularly severe in the eastern regions of Sanaag, Sool and Togdheer, where pastoral communities are facing the greatest pressure.
Food insecurity rising
Food security conditions have deteriorated sharply across affected areas. The assessment found that 97% of households reported declining access to food, while 61% said they now rely on only two meals per day, with some households reporting eating just one meal daily as shortages worsen.
At the same time, 95% of households reported sharp increases in food prices, significantly weakening purchasing power for many families.
Pastoral livelihoods have also been severely affected. Between 50% and 60% of respondents reported livestock deaths in their communities, reflecting the heavy toll the drought is taking on households that depend on livestock for income, food and survival.
Across Somaliland, both pastoral and urban communities are experiencing growing hardship. In Awdal, the drought has affected coastal and rural settlements where many households report declining access to food and health services. In Maroodi-jeex, conditions are described as moderate but deteriorating, particularly in pastoral areas surrounding the regional capital where grazing land and water sources remain under pressure.
Water shortages worsening
Water scarcity has become one of the most immediate consequences of the drought.
The assessment found that 78% of water sources are partially or fully non-functional, forcing many households to travel long distances to access safe drinking water.
Many families now walk seven to ten kilometres or more to reach water sources. Communities have increasingly relied on water trucking and traditional reservoirs known as berkads, increasing costs for already vulnerable households.
In Saaxil, the drought has intensified across pastoral areas, where declining food availability and pressure on water infrastructure are adding to the burden faced by many families.
Eastern regions hardest hit
Although drought conditions are affecting all regions of Somaliland, the eastern regions of Sanaag, Sool and Togdheer are described as the most severely affected.
In Sanaag, the report describes a large-scale drought emergency affecting predominantly pastoral communities, where food availability has declined sharply and water systems have deteriorated across many rural settlements.
Conditions are even more critical in Sool, where many households report severe drought conditions and significant declines in food supplies. Water infrastructure in several communities has weakened, increasing the risk of water shortages and disease.
In Togdheer, the drought is described as severe and widespread, with declining food access, weakened water infrastructure and growing pressure on pastoral livelihoods.
Health and education impacts
The report also highlights growing health concerns. Around 71% of households reported drought-related health problems, largely linked to hunger, unsafe water and poor sanitation.
More than 85% of households reported limited access to healthcare services, citing long travel distances, shortages of medicines and limited medical staff in rural areas.
