Professor of Nutrition and Food Science José Miguel Soriano del Castillo has analyzed the last joint report by the FAO (UN Food and Agriculture Organization) and the World Food Programme (WFP). The report warns that the window of opportunity to prevent a drastic increase in global hunger is rapidly closing. It identifies sixteen regions where the risk of acute food insecurity is increasing sharply and could lead to widespread humanitarian crises if swift action is not taken.

People standing line in front of a food distribution of the UN in Sahel.

Violent conflict is cited as the dominant cause of hunger. In places such as Sudan, Yemen and Palestine, fighting, displacement, damaged infrastructure and restricted humanitarian access have severely undermined food supplies. Sudan stands out as one of the most alarming cases, with some areas nearing famine conditions. Yemen continues to rely heavily on imports, yet fuel shortages and infrastructure damage have left more than two-fifths of the population in severe food crisis. In Mali and Burkina Faso, insecurity has disrupted markets and agricultural production, while in Mali alone over half the population was affected by inadequate food consumption in 2025.

Economic shocks further deepen vulnerability. Currency depreciation, inflation and rising fuel and input costs have reduced household purchasing power across several countries. Haiti is particularly affected, where violence and market breakdowns have pushed more than half of the population into acute food insecurity. Similar pressures are visible in Myanmar and Ethiopia, where basic food prices have surged amid economic disruption.

Climate change has become a persistent and structural driver of hunger. Recurrent droughts, floods and extreme weather increasingly devastate regions dependent on seasonal rainfall. The Horn of Africa illustrates this trend, with repeated rainfall failures and climate extremes destroying crops, livestock and infrastructure, and increasing dependence on emergency assistance.

Compounding these challenges is a severe lack of humanitarian funding. With resources far below requirements, the WFP is being forced to reduce food rations and scale back nutrition programs, limiting its ability to respond to predictable hunger peaks. In areas cut off from markets by conflict, this funding gap could quickly push populations into famine-like conditions.

The report underscores that food insecurity threatens not only human survival but also political and economic stability beyond national borders. While the outlook is grave, the agencies stress that targeted investments in agriculture, livelihoods and resilience could still prevent a deeper crisis —provided the remaining window for action is not missed. (The Conversation)

By Okay Altinisik | 4-1-2026, 13:14:25