The humanitarian situation in Somalia is expected to deteriorate further in the coming months following failure of the 2010 secondary deyr rainy season (September-December) in most parts of the country, according to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (Fewsnet) of the US Agency for International Development. The disappointing deyr season has been attributed to a global weather phenomenon known as La Niña. The number of Somalis depending on humanitarian emergency assistance has risen by 20%, from 2m-around one-third of the total population, a number that represented an improvement in 2010 after two good rainy seasons-to 2.4m in the second half of 2010. Poor deyr rains have worsened pasture conditions in all major pastoral and farming areas of the country, according to Somalia's Water and Land Information Management Agency, which is managed by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Fewsnet expects food security in Iskushuban, Alula, Qandala and Bossaso districts in particular to weaken in the coming months.

The report also stated that water levels in both the Jubba and Shabelle rivers were low and falling, and not expected to rise again until the beginning of the main gu rainy season in April. On January 18th agencies operating in Somalia received US$15m from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to boost their humanitarian efforts. However, providing help to some of the country's most vulnerable populations remains very challenging, owing to the civil conflict and the decision of the Islamist rebels to ban foreign humanitarian agencies from operating in the territories under their control.