Fuel shocks are tightening the squeeze on millions already facing hunger. Higher oil prices and disrupted trade dent aid delivery and raise food costs. This page answers the top questions people are asking about how fuel costs are reshaping hunger in Somalia, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka, where the biggest risks lie this month, what funding gaps WFP warns about, and what actions are being called for to avert a wider crisis. Below are cross-cutting questions you might have, with straight-to-the-point answers.
Fuel price volatility has pushed more people into acute food insecurity in Somalia, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka by raising transport and production costs, tightening trade, and reducing the reach of aid deliveries. In Somalia, millions are struggling as energy-linked food prices rise; in Afghanistan, longer delivery times and higher trucking costs slow aid; and in Sri Lanka, rising fuel prices worsen the cost of living and food access. The pattern is a direct link: higher energy costs drive higher food costs and less aid reach.
The regions most affected this month are the Horn of Africa (Somalia), parts of Central and South Asia (notably Afghanistan), and South Asia (Sri Lanka). These areas are contending with elevated fuel costs, disrupted supply routes, and funding gaps that limit aid, creating the sharpest month-over-month increases in acute food insecurity.
The World Food Programme warns of funding shortfalls that force cuts to aid. If funding remains insufficient, up to about 1.5 million fewer people could be served this year, and if the situation persists for six months, millions more could lose assistance. The exact figures depend on fuel prices, delivery costs, and the pace of replenishment, but the trend is clear: fewer resources mean fewer people reached.
Aid agencies are calling for sustained and increased funding to maintain deliveries, rapid disbursement of emergency funds, and measures to stabilize fuel and transport costs. They urge authorities to keep trade routes open, reduce bottlenecks in logistics, and protect vulnerable populations with targeted aid. The goal is to prevent a cascading failure where rising fuel costs fuel a broader hunger crisis.
Households should watch for rising prices at the market and in fuel for cooking and transport, longer times to receive aid, and tighter access to affordable food. Families may need to adjust diets, rely more on aid programs, and seek information on nearby support services as funding gaps tighten the safety net.
relief depends on stabilizing fuel prices, restoring supply chains, and securing funding. If energy costs ease and aid reaches more people, the hunger risk could subside. However, if fuel remains near high levels through June and funding remains constrained, the trend toward higher acute insecurity could continue.
The U.N. food agency says millions of people are being pushed into acute hunger by the Iran war, as it warned would happen if the conflict escalated and oil prices remained high.