Nairobi, Feb 1 : About 67.4 million people in the Horn of Africa are food insecure, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an East African bloc, said in a joint report.

This is a rise from 64.8 million at the end of November 2024, the institutions said, with the increase attributed to conflict and climate shocks in the region.

Of the 67.4 million people, 38 million live in the IGAD member states, including Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda. The rest are in the other countries that make up the Horn of Africa, including the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Xinhua news agency reported.

"Conflict remains the dominant driver of East Africa's food crisis, with about 38 million people across the IGAD region facing high levels of acute food insecurity," the institutions noted, adding that extreme weather and climate shocks have become more severe and frequent, driving food insecurity.

According to the two organisations, the region is home to more than 29 million displaced individuals as a result of both conflict and climate-related risks, mainly in Sudan and the DRC.

The report said the displacement of the population is negatively affecting the food security situation of many host communities by putting additional pressure on their resources. Interventions to prevent and treat malnutrition and diseases are needed, and if not addressed in a timely manner, high rates of mortality will likely occur.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has noted that frequent climate shocks and conflict are worsening poverty and acute food insecurity and malnutrition in Horn Africa.

/IANS