Two United Nations food agencies have issued a grave warning that millions more people across the world could face famine as international funding for humanitarian aid continues to plummet, worsening already desperate conditions in conflict-hit regions.
In a joint report released yesterday, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) said violence, displacement, and instability are driving acute food insecurity in most of the countries now at risk. The report, titled Hunger Hotspots, lists Haiti, Mali, Palestine, South Sudan, Sudan, and Yemen as facing “an imminent risk of catastrophic hunger.”
Also flagged as “very high concern” are Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Nigeria, Somalia, and Syria, while Burkina Faso, Chad, Kenya, and the Rohingya refugee settlements in Bangladesh remain under close watch.
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“We are on the brink of a completely preventable hunger catastrophe that threatens widespread starvation in multiple countries,” WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain warned. “If we fail to act now, hunger will fuel more instability, migration, and conflict.”
According to the report, funding for global food assistance has fallen “dangerously short.” Out of the $29 billion required to reach people in crisis, only $10.5 billion has been received. The shortfall has forced the WFP to slash food rations for refugees, suspend school feeding programmes in some nations, and cut aid to communities already on the edge of starvation.
The FAO said efforts to stabilize agricultural production were also in jeopardy. “Without urgent funding, essential support for seeds, fertilizers, and livestock health services will not reach farmers before planting seasons begin or new shocks occur,” the agency cautioned.
Both agencies warned that inaction would deepen instability in fragile regions and reverse hard-won gains against poverty and hunger. The UN estimates that more than 300 million people globally face severe food insecurity, a number expected to rise sharply if immediate action is not taken.
