Between March and June 2023, approximately 250,000 people (21 percent of the population analysed, out of a total of more than 1.18 million people) will experience acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above). Of this population, 86,000 people (7 percent of the population) will be in Phase 4, Emergency and 164,000 people will be in Phase 3, Crisis. Despite the food assistance provided by the Ministry of Social Affairs (MASS) and humanitarian partners, rural areas face a high prevalence of acute food insecurity due to low dietary diversity, low purchasing power, and limited livelihood activities.

For the projected analysis covering the period from July to December 2023, generally characterised by very high temperatures and transhumance movements by households dependent on pastoralism, and in the absence of food assistance, it is estimated that around 285,000 people, representing 24 percent of the population analysed, will be acutely food insecure. Around 100,000 people will be in Phase 4, Emergency and 185,000 in Phase 3, Crisis.

Food insecurity disproportionately affects rural populations, with an average of 40 percent of the rural population experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phases 3 and 4). This includes refugees living in the three camps. In urban areas, such as Djibouti City, an average of 15 percent of the population analysed will be food-insecure, primarily among the poorest and those dependent on day labour with very limited sources of income and subsistence activities.

An urgent response is needed to save lives, reduce food consumption gaps and protect the livelihoods of food insecure people in Crisis and Emergency (IPC Phase 3 and 4): 

• Strengthen the emergency food assistance system for people in Phase 3 or above, while integrating appropriate adequate social protection programmes that take into account the essential needs of children under 5 and pregnant and lactating women.
• Facilitate the implementation of activities to support community resilience and protect livelihoods with technology transfer to improve the production and processing of local food products.
• Put in place mechanisms to facilitate imports of basic food products in order to guarantee the availability of food on the markets.
• Strengthen the multi-sectoral response linked to the provision of quality basic social services (WASH, food, health, social protection, etc.) to further protect vulnerable populations and meet their basic needs.