UN Agencies Warn of Worsening Global Hunger Crisis Amid Funding Shortfalls

UN Agencies Warn of Worsening Global Hunger Crisis Amid Funding Shortfalls
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Millions more people could face famine as funding gaps deepen the global food crisis, two United Nations agencies warned on Wednesday, Arab News reported. In a joint assessment, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) said conflict and violence remain the main drivers of acute food insecurity in most high-risk countries.

The report identified Haiti, Mali, Palestine, South Sudan, Sudan, and Yemen as facing the most severe threat, with populations at imminent risk of catastrophic hunger. Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Nigeria, Somalia, and Syria were also listed as “very high concern,” alongside Burkina Faso, Chad, Kenya, and the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh.

WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain warned that the world stands “on the brink of a completely preventable hunger catastrophe,” cautioning that inaction could worsen instability and migration. The agencies highlighted that humanitarian funding has fallen far short, with only $10.5 billion received of the $29 billion needed to support vulnerable populations.

Due to budget constraints, the WFP said it has already reduced food aid for refugees and displaced people and suspended some school feeding programs. The FAO added that agricultural livelihoods are increasingly at risk, urging immediate investment in seeds, livestock care, and other essential farming inputs before upcoming planting seasons. Both agencies stressed that without urgent financial support, global hunger will continue to escalate, pushing millions closer to starvation.