Nairobi, Nov 5 (IANS): At least 65 million people are food insecure in the Horn of Africa, according to a joint report released Tuesday by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an East African bloc.

This figure marks a slight decline from 66 million in August, attributed to improved rainfall over the past two seasons, particularly in the IGAD region, said the report.

Of the 65 million affected individuals, 36 million reside in IGAD member states, including Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.

"Extreme weather and climate change, now more severe and frequent, are the primary drivers of food insecurity," the report said, adding that conflict is another key contributor to food insecurity, Xinhua news agency reported.

The report highlighted that conflict has led to widespread destruction of infrastructure and essential sources of food and income, worsening the already critical food security situation. Additionally, the Greater Horn of Africa is home to over 29 million displaced individuals, primarily in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, due to both conflict and climate-related risks.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, about 9.8 billion US dollars is needed for humanitarian assistance to alleviate the ongoing crisis in the Horn of Africa.