U.S. famine warning system FEWS NET to resume reporting on Somalia, Afghanistan and Yemen

FEWS NET, a U.S. government-funded system that maps hunger risk, left Somalia’s famine map blank after July and removed Somalia, Afghanistan and Yemen from an August 14 food-assistance outlook. The gap occurred while U.S. assistance to those countries was sharply cut, prompting criticism from aid leaders such as Jeremy Konyndyk of Refugees International. The State Department explained that reporting varies with need, policy priorities and cost-effectiveness, and confirmed that data for the three nations will resume in September.

Historically, FEWS NET’s forecasts have guided pre-positioning of supplies and airdrops, helping avert famines. Experts stress that renewed data will be crucial as millions in the three countries face acute food insecurity, according to U.N. estimates.