Around the table: Where hunger meets hope and opportunities grow

Ethiopia is grappling with a food crisis, with 15.8 million people facing acute hunger.

What is driving this crisis? 

• Conflict and insecurity, displacing millions and disrupting farming 
• Climate shocks, such as drought and floods, devastating crops
• Inflation, making food and resources unaffordable 
• Pests and diseases leading to reduced harvests 

To sustain and scale FAO’s emergency response efforts in 2025, urgent agricultural assistance is needed to help people: 

• Produce nutritious food 
• Access income 
• Meet basic household needs 
  

Wheat farmers, vital to Ethiopia’s food supply, face additional challenges:

• Displacement
• Loss of access to land 
• Reduced harvests 
• Disruption of supply chains

FAO is empowering farmers by providing critical support, including: 

• Seeds, tools, fertilizers and other farming resources to restart production
• Training programmes, including climate-smart agricultural practices to build resilience 
• Cash transfers to cover immediate needs 
  

This support ensures: 

• Boosted wheat production and enhanced crop resilience 
• Farmers can adapt to and mitigate climate-related risks 
• Families can meet their basic food needs

Ethiopia is the second largest wheat producer in Africa. This highlights the critical role of wheat farming for the economy and food security in Ethiopia.

Wheat farming in Ethiopia plays a critical role in supporting food security and providing a reliable source of nutrition for vulnerable communities. ©FAO/Meseret Abiy Workneh.

Left: After a day of farming, Mehari sits in a field and shares embasha with his family, a traditional bread made with wheat. Right: Mehari pauses to reflect on the challenges overcome and the food his hard work now provides. ©FAO/Meseret Abiy Workneh.

“Our livelihoods were seriously affected. It is a relief to see that humanitarian actors are coming to our rescue. Please, do not get tired of us,” he urges. “We will soon be able to stand on our feet again.” 

In Mozambique, 4.9 million people* are experiencing high acute food insecurity (October 2024–March 2025). 

What is driving acute hunger? 

• Climate shocks 
• Conflict and insecurity 
  
• Increasing market prices 
  
• Inability to access basic services 

To combat hunger, FAO urgently needs USD 13.6 million to support: 

• Anticipatory actions to prepare for potential challenges 
• Disaster risk reduction to safeguard livelihoods
• Targeted support for vulnerable communities, preventing worsening food insecurity

*This is a preliminary figure that is yet to be validated by the Government of Mozambique.

Poultry farmers in Mozambique face a range of challenges that threaten their way of life, including: 

• Displacement and loss of homes, farmland and animals 
• Outbreaks of disease 
• Lack of resources to sustain their farms 
• Gaps in skills and knowledge for effective poultry farming 

FAO is providing essential support to poultry farmers, including:

• Highly productive hens and roosters 
• Animal feed 
• Vaccinations against common poultry diseases
• Training in poultry farming 
• Access to markets

This vital assistance ensures: 

• Families have protein-rich food 
• Enhanced resilience 
• Healthy and productive poultry 
• Farmers can sell their eggs and meat for profit 
• Women in agriculture are empowered 

FAO is helping to transform poultry farming into a sustainable source of food and income for communities in Mozambique.

Chickens can transform a family’s life. In Mozambique, women are the primary caretakers of family-owned poultry, making these small farms a vital source of nutrition, income and empowerment for households.

Francelina’s face reflects her dedication, as she balances caring for her flock and feeding her family. ©FAO.

Francelina da Cruz Romano lives in the village of Naelle in northern Cabo Delgado. Situated in a low-lying area, the houses in Naelle are closely clustered and surrounded by a scattering of trees. The 4 900 people who have made these houses a community rely on a shared water source (agua do poco), and yet, despite the challenges, 23-year-old Francelina maintains her welcoming spirit. She is often found with a radiant smile, chatting cheerfully with neighbours outside her modest home.

She shares this home, made of clay and painted with lime, with seven children, including her two daughters. To support them, Francelina sells homemade drinks and cultivates a small plot of land. She often struggled to buy nutritious food like chicken and fish when her reserves ran low. These purchases were costly, limiting her ability to provide for her family.

Recently, however, her circumstances have improved when she began raising chickens, a livelihood introduced to her through FAO’s support. This new venture has not only brought rhythm to her daily routine but has also provided her family with a crucial source of nutrition, significantly improving their food security.

"These chickens help a lot. We have meat more often, and I can save money for other needs," Francelina gratefully shares. Now an integral part of her household, the four chickens she received from FAO have allowed her to create nourishing meals more often. On special occasions, like family celebrations, Francelina treats her children to eggs, bringing extra joy to their table.

The family share u tokossa, a simple yet nourishing dish of chicken, water and salt, showcasing how Francelina turns the resources she has into a meal for her family. ©FAO.

On Mozambican Women’s Day (7 April), for example, Francelina prepares traditional dishes like ‘muhantraca’, a dry cassava flour used to make porridge and ‘u tokossa’, a dish made of chicken, water and salt. All are eaten together with dried or fresh green mangos, creating a sense of togetherness, as the entire family gathers to celebrate.

While feeding her family remains Francelina’s primary goal, she occasionally sells a few birds to earn extra income. This money helps her buy other necessities that she cannot produce herself.

Thanks to well-targeted emergency agricultural assistance, Francelina has secured a steady source of food and income, while also creating opportunities to build cherished family memories around shared meals.

Amid the uncertainties of life in Naelle, Francelina remains unwavering in her commitment to sustaining her family’s unity and well-being. After all, what is food but a mother’s expression of her love.

In Somalia, 4.4 million people are experiencing acute hunger (October–December 2024).

What is driving this crisis?

• Climate shocks
• Protracted conflict
• High food prices
• Widespread poverty

To sustain and scale FAO’s emergency response efforts in 2025, USD 102 million is urgently required to support agro/pastoral communities ahead of the looming drought: 

• Protect livelihood assets through agricultural and livestock support 
• Promote improved household income 
• Enhance food security and nutrition

Pastoralism, a tradition deeply woven into the Somali culture, faces additional challenges: 

• Seasonal fluctuations that impact the availability of pasture and water
• Degradation of pastures
• Displacement
• Animals dying or becoming less productive

FAO is empowering pastoralists by providing critical support, including: 

• Animal feed (range cubes and mineral licks) to produce fodder and develop value chains
• Animal health services (vaccination and treatment)
• Cash transfers for immediate needs (access to food)
• Nutrition education
• Support to rehabilitate and manage pastures and water infrastructure for livestock

This support ensures:

• Animals remain alive, productive and healthy
• Families can access nutritious food and meet other immediate needs
• Children maintain a balanced diet

In Somalia, over 50 percent of the population are pastoralists, relying on animals such as camels for their way of life.

Abdi and his family sit together for lunch to enjoy digir with ghee, a dish consisting of rice and cowpeas with fresh and sour camel milk, a staple in their family’s diet. ©FAO/Abdinasir Ahmed.

Abdi Jama Noor can’t imagine life without his camels. The 43-year-old from Gadhka-Warsame-Xaad village, located 60 km east of Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, has dedicated his life to raising and herding camels – a practice deeply woven into Somali culture.

Somali oral poetry often reflects the sacrifices people make for their camels. In the past, bridal dowries were paid in camels, and they continue to serve as an important means of compensation, known as diya, for settling disputes.

“Compared to other livestock, camels are the most important,” says Abdi. “To my family, camels mean everything. We drink their milk, eat their meat, and sell the camels and their milk for extra income to cover most of our needs,” he adds.

For Somalis, no dish is complete without camel products. For Abdi's family, dinner means digir with ghee and camel milk. This one-pot meal combines slow-cooked cowpeas and rice, flavored with ghee or sesame oil and always served with a generous pour of camel milk.

Left: Abdi carefully pours camel milk into the dish, a key ingredient that ties their meals to the land they call home. Right: Another traditional dish, fried camel liver with Somali ban cake and tea with camel milk, highlights the diversity of meals made possible through pastoral livelihoods. ©FAO/Abdinasir Ahmed.

To ensure families like Abdi's can continue to make their favourite camel-based dishes, FAO is supporting camel herders through initiatives aimed at improving water availability and accessibility, such as the construction of multi-use water catchments in Diingoobaale village, Gabiley District. These efforts are critical, as being a herder in Somalia comes with significant challenges.

“First, there are droughts,” explains Abdi. While camels are resilient animals and can adapt to climate shocks, he acknowledges that it also requires herders to adjust. “During the 2017 drought, I lost all 200 sheep and goats, but my 10 camels survived,” he recalls.

In response, communities are actively harvesting rainwater and sharing pastures with neighbouring villages. However, the situation is becoming more complicated. “Recently pastoralists started to settle and make enclosures decreasing available pasture,” he says. This makes it harder for camel herders to sustain their livelihood.

To overcome these challenges, Abdi bought land and began producing his own fodder to reduce the need for constant grazing. “I inherited camels from my father, who inherited them from my grandfather, and so on. In the past, they would constantly move, searching for water and pasture, walking long distances to find water for the camels. But I managed to buy land and start modern camel farming.”

Abdi’s camels, a vital source of food and income, represent the heart of his family’s way of life. ©FAO/Abdinasir Ahmed.

Abdi’s son Ibrahim, 20, works in town, but Sayid-Ali, 18, has been trained to assist Abdi with the camel chores, including producing, handling, and storing fodder. “I train my sons to take over and continue this tradition,” Abdi proudly shares. He envisions a future where camel farming remains a sustainable livelihood for the next generation.

In South Sudan, 6.1 million people are experiencing acute hunger (December 2024–March 2025)

What is driving this crisis?

• Climate shocks
• Conflict and insecurity
• Inflation
• Inadequate infrastructure (roads, electricity)
• Lack of access to basic services

To sustain and scale FAO’s emergency response efforts in 2025, USD 60 million is urgently required to help people:

• Safeguard their livelihoods
• Reduce acute food insecurity and malnutrition
• Address climate change and build resilience of local communities
• Transform agrifood systems

Fishers face additional challenges:

• Displacement
• Lack of resources and skills in the sector
• Lack of access to markets and financial services
• High post-harvest losses
  

FAO is empowering fishers through:

• Fishing kits, including hooks, twine and monofilament thread
• Training in sustainable fishing practices, post-harvest management, and processing and preservation techniques
• Cash transfers to meet immediate needs
• Links to markets to sell and buy fish products

This support ensures:

• Families’ food security is improved
• Families’ livelihoods are diversified and their resilience strengthened
• Sustainable fishing skills are enhanced
• Post-harvest losses are reduced
• Improved access to markets leading to better income opportunities

South Sudan has a rich abundance of fisheries resources, home to over 100 species of fish.

With new skills in fisheries and business, Awadia has transformed her ability to support her family in South Sudan. ©FAO/Mogga Anthony.

Awadia Lino is a 54-year-old single mother juggling the responsibilities of raising her three daughters while also caring for 12 other dependents.

In the southern reaches of Terekeka County, about 80 km from Juba, the bustling capital of South Sudan, lies Terekeka town, a vibrant fishing hub nestled along the River Nile. The town serves as a main supplier of fresh and processed fish to Juba and is home to four fishing cooperatives with over 1 000 members.

Awadia is a proud member of the Wate na Kita (women who work) Cooperative Group, a women-led initiative with 164 members, and uses fishing to provide her family with a steady source of nourishment and hope. The cooperative is mainly engaged in fish processing, purchasing fresh fish from local fishers and transforming it into dried and smoked products to add value.

“Fish is our life,” says Awadia. “There are many ways to prepare it. You can cook dry fish with peanut butter or mix it with juicy melon and fresh fish for a healthy meal. We usually get together in the evening. I make sure that everyone is home for dinner and that everyone has a meal.” The family enjoys mulakombo most often, a dish made of locally caught fish that is dried and cooked with ground nut paste and okra. Smoked fish boiled in a mix of water and ground nut, eaten with kisra made from sorghum, is also a common meal.

In the past, Awadia relied on traditional business practices, purchasing dried or smoked fish from wholesalers without checking their quality or freshness. Today, thanks to the skills she has acquired, she buys fresh fish and preserves them using the smoking method.

“I received small business training from FAO, focusing on managing cash flow, losses and profits. This has helped me manage my capital. We were also trained on post-harvest losses in fish during fish handling and processing, as well as hygienic practices, processing, storage and preservation.” Each day, Awadia ventures to the banks of the Nile, relying on her fishing expertise to provide both a reliable income and a consistent supply of nutritious food for her family.

“The fish business has been a great help to me. It allows me to take care of my family, send my children to school, feed them, and support other dependents who are not my biological children.” However, like with most things, it comes with its challenges. “One of the biggest difficulties is accessing fish,” she explains. “There is a lot of competition right now, and we lack the capacity to compete with other traders. Currently, the season is bad, and there is a scarcity of fresh fish.”

Left: Awadia and her family gather to share a meal of freshly prepared fish, a spread that reflects her hard work and the skills she gained to support them. Right: The aroma of smoked fish, cooked with ground nut paste and okra, fills the air as Awadia’s family gathers around, each hand reaching in to share the meal she’s prepared with care. ©FAO/Akout Mayak.

Through her dedication and hard work, Awadia creates a nurturing environment, ensuring her loved ones are well-fed and cared for despite the difficulties she endures. To support the fishing communities, FAO donated two speed-boats, as well as post-harvest equipment such as fish drying racks, smoking ovens and various fish handling and processing equipment to the cooperatives in Terekeka.

Awadia believes receiving a speed-boat would greatly enhance her group’s activities; this would allow them to buy directly from the fishers, reducing competition in the supply chain, protecting their livelihoods and improving the lives of all involved.

An alarming 24.6 million people are facing high levels of acute food insecurity, and famine has been declared in at least five areas. 

What is driving the hunger crisis? 

• Intense conflict, displacing communities and disrupting livelihoods 
• A severe economic crisis impacting access to basic needs
• Climate shocks, including droughts and floods 
• Lack of basic services, leaving vulnerable communities without support 

To address the crisis and reverse famine conditions, FAO urgently needs USD 156.7 million to: 

• Scale up life-saving assistance 
  
• Support food-insecure communities 
• Strengthen local farming systems

Sorghum farmers, vital to local food production, face additional challenges:

• Displacement from their homes and land 
• Reduced harvests, threatening food availability
• Limited access to farmland, seeds and tools

FAO is working to empower Sudan’s farmers by providing:

• Certified crop and vegetable seeds
• Training on good agricultural practices and sustainable farming techniques
• Cash transfers to meet immediate needs

This support ensures:

• Families can resume or continue farming
• Local food production is restored and strengthened 
• Improved harvests and reduced losses
• Greater food security and nutrition for vulnerable households

By investing in Sudan’s sorghum farmers, we can help secure food for millions.

Sorghum, a staple in Sudanese cuisine, was domesticated in the region more than five thousand years ago, deeply rooting the crop in the country’s farming traditions.

Amona, her family and neighbours, sit around the table to share a warm meal of asida, cooked with love and care. ©FAO/Mohamed Ahmed.

Amona lives in the quiet village of Wad Daief, Gedaref State, where life moves at its own gentle pace. Homes, crafted from straw, mud and animals' leftovers, may appear humble, but warmth and love fill their walls. Every face in the village is familiar and every hand ready to help.

A resilient farmer and mother of seven, Amona's life is a testament to the strength and perseverance of rural Sudanese women. Growing up in a farming family, Amona was taught the value of the land from an early age. Now, she sees farming not just as a livelihood but as a legacy she is proud to pass down to her children.

December in Gedaref is the season for harvesting sorghum and millet, and Amona’s family is ready to reap the sorghum they’ve carefully nurtured through the rainy season.

In 2024, Amona received sorghum seeds through FAO’s seed distribution campaign, a critical initiative combating Sudan’s prolonged conflict-driven hunger crisis that has so far led to famine in at least five areas.

“The conflict has taken a huge toll on us, everything has become so expensive,” says Amona. “But we keep praying, and God always answers. We eat from what we have, and even when we have nothing, we remain grateful.”

As the sole breadwinner, Amona depends on the harvest to feed her children, pay for their education – an opportunity she was denied but is determined to secure for them – and cover medical and household expenses. Every part matters: Amona reserves a portion of her crops for replanting, uses sorghum fodder to feed her donkey and sells any surplus at the market for extra income, investing in a brighter future for her family.

Left: Inside her home, Amona prepares asida by gently stirring the sorghum flour mixture with a wooden tool. Right: Amona’s sorghum field, showcasing a bountiful and productive season. Sorghum is a lifeline for the people of Sudan. ©FAO/Mohamed Ahmed.

After a long, exhausting day in the field, Amona and her family gather around the table, sitting on the ground in quiet harmony. Amona, with hands weathered by the land, prepares kisra and asida – the heart of every Sudanese meal, made from the very sorghum they’ve harvested themselves. The dish is crafted with just sorghum flour and water, stirred with a wooden tool over the gentle heat of the fire, thickening slowly, like the steady rhythm of their lives. “Some days, we eat kisra with yoghurt, other days with mulah [sauce], and on the hardest days, just with water,” Amona says, her voice filled with gratitude. "And no matter what, we say nothing but Alhamdulillah.”

As her family eats, the only sounds that fill the space are the gentle laughter and the stories shared between bites – tales of the day’s labour and dreams yet to come. It’s a moment of pure connection, where food becomes more than sustenance; it’s a symbol of love, of resilience and of the unbreakable bond they share.

Sorghum, for Amona and so many others in Sudan, has always been – and continues to be – a lifeline. It is more than just a crop. In times of crisis, it is hope, a testament to the resilience of the land and its people. Each harvest, each meal, is a quiet promise that life will go on, and with it, the enduring strength to rise again.