What's happened
A FAO-WFP joint report warns that acute food insecurity could worsen from June to November 2026, with about 266 million people affected. Conflicts and violence remain the main drivers across hotspots, while funding cuts and El Niño risks compound the crisis. Gaza’s situation remains fragile but improved since late 2025.
What's behind the headline?
In-Depth Context
- The new update emphasizes that conflict remains the driving force behind hunger across almost all hotspots. This aligns with prior reporting but expands the geographic scope by including Nigeria and Somalia as areas of elevated risk.
- Funding declines of roughly 59% since 2022 undercut relief efforts just as needs surge, suggesting a structural failure in support for humanitarian programs.
- El Niño is forecast to drive uneven rainfall, droughts, and floods, potentially amplifying food insecurity in vulnerable regions.
Why this matters
- For readers in affected regions, the shortfall translates to higher risks of famine-like conditions in specific districts and countries.
- For policymakers, the report is a prompt to stabilise funding and coordinate actions to protect livelihoods and ensure market access.
Forecast
- Without rapid scaling of aid, millions more could face catastrophic hunger in the coming months.
How we got here
The FAO and WFP have produced a joint update on food insecurity, citing conflicts and economic shocks as the main drivers. Funding for humanitarian aid has fallen sharply since 2022, even as needs rise. New additions to the list of at-risk countries include Nigeria and Somalia, in addition to Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen and Palestine.
Our analysis
FAO and WFP jointly warn that 266 million people face high acute food insecurity; Gaza remains fragile but improved since 2025; the report cites a 59% funding drop since 2022. See AP News, Reuters, NY Post for corroboration and direct quotes from Carl Skau and Beth Bechdol.
Go deeper
- Will donors restore funding levels to pre-2022 highs?
- What regions are most at risk in the coming months?
- How can readers support relief efforts in their communities?
More on these topics
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World Food Programme - Nonprofit organization
The World Food Programme is the food-assistance branch of the United Nations and the world's largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger and promoting food security.
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Somalia - Country in East Africa
Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is a sovereign country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, the Gulf of Aden to the north, the Guardafui Channel and Somali Sea to the east, and Kenya to the southwest.
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Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - Agency
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security.
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Nigeria - Country in West Africa
Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a sovereign country located in West Africa bordering Niger in the north, Chad in the northeast, Cameroon in the east, and Benin in the west.
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Yemen - Country in the Middle East
Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country at the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is the second-largest Arab sovereign state in the peninsula, occupying 527,970 square kilometres.
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Sudan - Country in North Africa
Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in North-East Africa. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, Libya to the northwest, Chad to the west, the Central African Republic to the southwest, South Sudan to the south, Ethiopia to the southe
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Gaza Strip
The Gaza Strip, or simply Gaza, is a self-governing Palestinian territory on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, that borders Egypt on the southwest for 11 kilometers and Israel on the east and north along a 51 km border.
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South Sudan - Country in North Africa
South Sudan, officially known as the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country in East-Central Africa. It is bordered to the east by Ethiopia, to the north by Sudan, to the west by the Central African Republic, to the south-west by Democratic Repub