The Horn of Africa is in trouble indeed and needs a lot of consolidated efforts!!There is immediate need towards saving human lives specifically geared towards malnourished children, lactating mothers and expectant mothers. The most pertinent intervention for now can be in terms of both cash transfers or direct food aids.
Due to heavy losses of livestock and livelihoods by Pastoralists, there are several cases of psychological challenges attributed to several families hence need for psychosocial support I.e trauma healing. In fact, this should be mainstreamed in all current and future programming as a Cross cutting issue going forward in order to build their resilience even for the future drought periods.
With high level of illiteracy still a challenging factor in the pastoral livelihoods in The Horn of Africa regions compounded with growing levels of young population, the consequences of drought which we are experiencing so far could be just a tip of an iceberg looking into the negative possibilities awaiting Pastoralists populace!!!
With perennial conflicts,severe droughts, outbreak of COVID19 and locusts invasion which has swept through HOA,population instability could be another danger in waiting