ROME – The United Nations’ food agencies warned Wednesday that acute hunger is expected to intensify across 13 global hotspots in the coming months, as conflict, funding gaps and climate shocks push millions closer to famine.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Program (WFP) said in a joint report that conditions are likely to deteriorate from June to November 2026. Around 266 million people are already facing high levels of acute food insecurity, prompting the agencies to call for urgent action.
“The warnings in this report cannot be ignored,” said WFP Acting Executive Director Carl Skau. “Without immediate action, millions more are expected to face deeper hunger in the months ahead, with some pushed closer to famine.”
Somalia has been newly added to the most severe hotspot category, alongside Nigeria, as conditions deteriorate and famine risks increase. The report warns that the threat of famine between now and November looms over people in Somalia’s Burhakaba district, among other locations.
Somalia’s Worsening Food Crisis
An estimated 6.5 million people in Somalia are expected to experience Crisis or worse levels of food insecurity, and approximately 1.84 million children under five are projected to suffer acute malnutrition during 2026. Market purchases account for 68% of food acquisition, leaving households highly exposed to price increases, and only 10% of households report having cash savings.
The crisis has been intensified by a major displacement surge. Drought conditions in northern and eastern regions have left millions in urgent need of assistance, with the worst-affected districts facing acute shortages of water and food.
Funding Crisis and U.S. Pledge
The report highlights a sharp decline in humanitarian funding. Funding for food assistance and related programs has fallen by about 59% since 2022, even as needs have grown. The World Food Programme is urgently appealing for $95 million to sustain critical food and nutrition operations through August 2026, warning that without an immediate injection of funds, its lifesaving programmes could be forced to shut down entirely.
There was some positive news on Tuesday, as the United States pledged $800 million to WFP. The agency said the contribution will help more than 38 million people in at least 37 countries at “a moment of unprecedented global need driving hunger to record levels.” Skau described the new U.S. donation as “a lifeline to reach people on the brink of famine, provide nutritional support to mothers and children and position food to prevent millions from slipping further into extreme hunger.”
Global Hotspots and Famine Risk
Yemen and the Gaza Strip remain the report’s most severe hotspots, while Nigeria and Somalia have been newly added to that category. Seven other countries are also listed: Afghanistan, Congo, Myanmar, Haiti, Mali, Lebanon and Madagascar. The threat of famine between now and November also looms over people in Nigeria’s Borno state, as well as in South Sudan’s Jonglei and Upper Nile states and Sudan’s North Darfur, South Darfur and South Kordofan regions.
The agencies said conflict and violence are the main drivers of hunger in nearly all the hotspots, worsened by economic shocks, major cuts to humanitarian funding and the expected effects of an El Niño weather pattern, which could bring droughts and floods to vulnerable regions. Additional pressures, including spillover from the Middle East conflict and an Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo, are worsening the outlook by disrupting markets, livelihoods and access to aid.
Somalia’s National Response
Somalia’s Disaster Management Agency has repeatedly called for urgent international backing, stressing that the country now faces overlapping obstacles including prolonged drought, localised security conflicts, and accelerating climate effects. Ministers have emphasised the urgent need for climate adaptation measures, linking environmental deterioration directly to food security.
Way Forward
The FAO and WFP called for swift, coordinated international action to expand aid, protect livelihoods and prevent further deterioration, warning that without rapid intervention, millions more could face catastrophic hunger in the months ahead.
Recommended Reading On ftlsomalia.com:
- UN Warns of Famine Risk in Somalia as Rural Communities Face Increased Threats
- UN Data: 6.5 Million Somalis Face Severe Hunger Amid Drought
- Nearly One‑Third of Somali Households Food Insecure, IDPs and Rural Communities Hit Hardest
- Somalia Faces Deepening Humanitarian Strain as OCHA Issues August Update
- Urgently Appealing for $95 Million to Sustain Critical Food and Nutrition Operations
- Somalia Building Stronger Disaster Response Systems, SoDMA Chief States
