The drought is largely due to the persistent lack of rainfall since last October that has left nearly 18 percent of the population in urgent need of food.
“A significant lack of rains in April and early May has rendered dry and barren up to 85 percent of the croplands in the country’s breadbaskets, and according to the latest projections, food grown during the “Gu” season is likely to be 50 percent below average,” Senior Economist at the FAO and lead of the Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS), Mario Zappacosta said.
Although some rains are still expected this month June 2019), they will be insufficient and arrive too late for crop and pasture recovery before the onset of the dry season.
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