Horn of Africa facing fresh food shortage

A family trudges back home on the borders of Kenya, Uganda and South Sudan in 2019, after escaping drought. PHOTO | FILE

The Horn of Africa region is staring at food shortages after the delayed start of the long rains in some countries and below-average rainfall in others.

The UN and the government of Somalia have jointly declared drought in the country after officials determined that 80 percent of Somalia had received little rainfall. Usually, much of the Horn considers March to May as a planting season.