The pediatric screening for malnutrition at a Baidoa, Somalia health clinic highlights the dire situation facing many. A combination of drought and other challenges have raised famine concerns.
In February 2025, reports indicated that a crucial U.S. famine warning system, known as FEWS NET, faced temporary unavailability. FEWS NET offers crucial data pinpointing regions at high risk of famine, assisting aid organizations in planning relief efforts. The site used to provide detailed, color-coded maps to indicate global hunger hotspots but displayed a stark ‘currently unavailable’ message instead.
“The website that once served up detailed, color-coded maps of hunger hot spots around the world now bears a stark message: The site and its data are ‘currently unavailable.'”
The current series revisits previous global health and development stories, starting with this update on FEWS NET’s situation. The tool was inactive for some time, but reports surfaced about ongoing developments.
Jeremy Konyndyk, flying to Somalia in early August, accessed FEWS NET’s database. He found an absence of updates for Somalia’s worsening food crisis affecting 6.5 million individuals. The profile lacked updates post-July, leading to Somalia’s exclusion from the “Peak Food Assistance Needs Outlook Brief” published on August 14, 2026. Afghanistan and Yemen were omitted as well, despite significant food insecurity issues.
Historically, Somalia received comprehensive reporting from FEWS NET. Konyndyk voiced concern that critical moments necessitate such data. Former USAID officials spoke out, contending that withholding reports would expose the consequences of previous aid decisions.
The State Department confirmed FEWS NET’s upcoming reports resuming for the concerned countries by September. Evaluations regarding programming resource utilization and foreign policy priorities were ongoing.
FEWS NET faced prior operational suspensions, including a six-month pause during the Trump administration’s foreign assistance freeze. The service, previously managed by a private entity and funded by USAID, endured intermittent reporting halts.
The Role of FEWS NET
FEWS NET emerged four decades ago, aiding USAID in crisis responses. It is indispensable to international aid groups for strategic planning of donations and crisis intervention. The service processes reports, market data, and satellite images, predicting crises up to nine months ahead. This allows swift governmental and organizational responses to prevent famines.
Acute food insecurity afflicts millions globally. U.N. statistics indicate half of Yemen’s citizens face severe hunger, while Afghanistan sees 14 million individuals struggling for food.
Somalia’s data absence was critical, compounded by adverse conditions affecting a third of its population, based on U.N. figures. Health surveys found alarming malnutrition levels among young children.
Political influences like frozen U.S. aid further hinder famine prevention in Somalia. Notably, the Trump administration’s accusations against Somali officials regarding food aid misuse led to substantial funding reductions.
With reduced humanitarian aid reaching Somalia, assistance dropped considerably. UNICEF confirms closure of numerous clinics catering to malnourished children.
Data That Makes a Difference
The next growing season and food aid program success will largely determine Somalia’s famine status. Aid workers depend on FEWS NET data for precise action.
Colin Thomas-Jensen from the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative emphasizes that timely data enables effective food delivery in crisis zones.
FEWS NET distinguishes itself from other food security data, such as the U.N.’s IPC and the World Food Program’s HungerMap, as the preferred indicator for aid workers. Governments often exhibit reluctance toward categorizing domestic food crises as famine due to possible adverse outcomes on investments.
Maintaining accurate data without government interference ensures credibility and effective aid response strategies, asserts Michelle Jurkovich of the University of Massachusetts Boston.
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