UN Warns of Worsening Hunger in 16 Global Hotspots, Millions at Risk of Famine
A joint report released Wednesday by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Program (WFP) warns that acute food insecurity is worsening across 16 global hunger hotspots, putting millions at risk of famine between November 2025 and May 2026.
According to the Hunger Hotspots report, conflict and violence are the primary drivers of hunger in 14 of the affected regions. Countries and territories of highest concern include Haiti, Mali, Palestine, South Sudan, Sudan, and Yemen, where populations face an imminent risk of catastrophic hunger. Other nations listed as “very high concern” include Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Nigeria, Somalia, and Syria, while Burkina Faso, Chad, Kenya, and Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh are also experiencing severe food insecurity.
The report highlights that time is running out to prevent widespread starvation, noting that humanitarian funding remains critically low. As of late October, only $10.5 billion of the $29 billion needed to assist the most vulnerable populations had been received, forcing agencies to cut food rations and suspend nutrition and school feeding programs.
FAO Director-General QU Dongyu stressed, “We must move from reacting to crises, to preventing them. Investing in livelihoods, resilience, and social protection before hunger peaks will save lives and resources. Famine prevention is not just a moral duty—it is a smart investment in long-term peace and stability. Peace is a prerequisite for food security, and the right to food is a basic human right.”
WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain added, “We are on the brink of a completely preventable hunger catastrophe that threatens widespread starvation in multiple countries.”
Both agencies called for urgent funding, political will, and unimpeded humanitarian access to avert famine before it is too late.
