Millions face acute food insecurity in 16 hotspots

• The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP) warn of a major hunger emergency, with acute food insecurity set to worsen in 16 countries and territories between now and May 2026, putting millions of lives at risk.

• The latest Hunger Hotspots report, which covers the period from November 2025 through May 2026, identifies six that are at the highest risk of famine or catastrophic hunger: Sudan, Palestine, South Sudan, Mali, Haiti, and Yemen.

• Six more countries — Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Myanmar, Nigeria, Somalia, and the Syrian Arab Republic — are classified as “very high concern”.

• The other four hotspots are Burkina Faso, Chad, Kenya and the situation of the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

• Acute food insecurity means families cannot meet their basic food needs and often resort to desperate measures, such as skipping meals or selling essential possessions. 

• Children are especially vulnerable. Malnutrition weakens immunity, making them more susceptible to disease and death. The report warns that delayed action will cost lives and increase humanitarian costs.

What is driving the crisis?

The report highlights four main drivers:

i) Conflict and violence: The leading cause in 14 of the 16 hotspots.

ii) Economic shocks: Fragile economies, high debt, and soaring food prices.

iii) Climate extremes: Floods, droughts, and cyclones linked to La Nina conditions.

iv) Reduced humanitarian aid: Funding shortfalls have forced ration cuts and limited malnutrition treatment.

Funding gaps driving aid reductions

• As these hunger hotspots edge closer to catastrophic conditions, or even famine, humanitarian funding is falling dangerously short.

• As of the end of October 2025, only $10.5 billion out of the $29 billion required to assist people most at risk had been received.

• Severe shortfalls are crippling emergency responses, forcing deep ration cuts and reducing access to food for the most vulnerable groups with refugee food assistance at a breaking point.

• Assistance coverage has dropped across most hunger hotspots. WFP has been forced to tighten targeting criteria and reduce assistance for refugees and displaced people. 

• At the same time, critical nutrition and school feeding programmes have been suspended in some countries, leaving children, refugees, and displaced families at extreme risk.

• FAO warns that funding shortages are also critically undermining efforts to protect agricultural livelihoods, which are essential for stabilising food production and preventing recurring crises. 

• Without urgent financing, vital livelihood support — such as seeds, livestock health services, and anticipatory agricultural action — will not reach communities before planting seasons begin or new shocks occur. This will erode resilience and heighten the risk of future crises. 

• Across the hunger hotspot countries, household food production and incomes remain insufficient to meet basic needs. 

• Programmes that build resilience are now crucial to protect livelihoods and reduce dependence on emergency aid. 

FAO and WFP call for urgent action to prevent famine:

i) Humanitarian assistance to save lives and livelihoods.

ii) Anticipatory action—early interventions before crises escalate.

iii) Investment in resilience to tackle root causes, not just symptoms.

• The agencies stress that the international community faces a narrowing window to act. Failure to respond will deepen hunger, destabilise regions, and lead to preventable deaths.