Two United Nations food agencies have raised alarm over a worsening global hunger crisis, warning that millions more people could face famine in the coming months due to escalating conflicts and dwindling humanitarian funding.
In a joint report released on Wednesday, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) said conflict and violence remain the major drivers of acute food insecurity in most countries now facing the risk of catastrophic hunger.
The Rome-based agencies identified Haiti, Mali, Palestine, South Sudan, Sudan, and Yemen as the six countries facing “an imminent risk of catastrophic hunger.”
They also listed Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Nigeria, Somalia, and Syria as countries of “very high concern,” while Burkina Faso, Chad, Kenya, and Rohingya refugee settlements in Bangladesh were also flagged as deteriorating food insecurity hotspots.
According to the report, the combination of armed conflict, economic instability, and climate shocks has left tens of millions of people on the edge of starvation.
World Food Programme Executive Director, Cindy McCain, described the situation as a “completely preventable hunger catastrophe” and urged the international community to act swiftly before the crisis spirals out of control.
McCain warned, “We are on the brink of a completely preventable hunger catastrophe that threatens widespread starvation in multiple countries. A failure to act will only drive further instability, migration, and conflict.”
She said global funding for humanitarian relief had fallen “dangerously short,” leaving aid agencies struggling to respond to rising food insecurity across multiple regions.
According to the UN report, only $10.5 billion has been received out of the $29 billion required to meet the urgent food and livelihood needs of at-risk populations.
The funding gap has forced WFP to scale down or suspend several life-saving interventions.
“Due to funding cuts, assistance for refugees and displaced persons has been reduced, and school feeding programmes have been suspended in some countries,” the report stated.
The FAO also cautioned that limited resources are threatening efforts to protect agricultural livelihoods, which it described as “essential for stabilising food production and preventing recurring crises.”
The FAO urged international donors to provide immediate funding for agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilisers, and livestock health services ahead of the next planting season.
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