Acute food insecurity is projected to worsen in 14 countries and two regional clusters, covering a total of 22 countries / territories during the next six months, according to a new United Nations report.
The 22 countries / territories are Nigeria, Sudan, Yemen, Ethiopia, Myanmar, Syrian Arab Republic, South Sudan, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Haiti, Somalia, Chad, Niger, Mozambique, Burkina Faso, Palestine (Gaza Strip), Kenya, Mali, Lebanon, Namibia and Lesotho.
The report Hunger Hotspots: FAO–WFP early warnings on acute food insecurity: November 2024 to May 2025 outlook was published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) on October 31, 2024.
It projected an outlook period from November 2024 to May 2025 and focused on the most severe and deteriorating acute hunger situations.
Ongoing conflict and armed violence remain the main causes of hunger in many critical areas, disrupting food systems, displacing communities and hindering humanitarian efforts.
Sudan, Palestine, South Sudan, Haiti and Mali are on the highest alert. Other affected areas with high alert levels are Chad, Lebanon, Myanmar, Mozambique, Nigeria, the Syrian Arab Republic and Yemen.
The report highlighted the famine in the Zamzam camp in North Darfur and the potential famine risk in other regions of Sudan. It also pointed out the ongoing famine threat in Palestine (Gaza Strip) and the severe acute food insecurity in Haiti, Mali, and South Sudan.
Since the May 2024 edition, Kenya, Lesotho, Namibia and the Niger have been added to the hunger hotspots list, while Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Malawi, Somalia, Zambia and Zimbabwe remain designated as hunger hotspots.
In the Central Sahel region, violence by non-state armed groups and growing insecurity are increasingly intensifying.
In Mali, severe food insecurity has hit critical levels for parts of the northern population due to violence and extreme access restrictions. Violence also affects northern and eastern Burkina Faso.
Chad is dealing with conflict and insecurity, worsened by a refugee influx from Sudan, while northern Nigeria is struggling with a worsening security situation. In Southern Africa, ongoing conflict in the north is anticipated to exacerbate acute food insecurity in Mozambique.
At the same time, fierce conflict in Myanmar is expected to exacerbate the economic turmoil. In Latin America, rising violence in Haiti is forcing displaced communities back into hunger, with some areas already facing severe acute food insecurity.
The total number of people facing acute food insecurity across these regions is 169.2 million. This includes 31.8 million in Nigeria, 21.1 million in Sudan, 19 million in Yemen, 15.8 million in Ethiopia, 13.3 million in Myanmar, 12.9 million in the Syrian Arab Republic, 7.1 million in South Sudan.
Beyond conflict, weather extremes and increased climate variability are making acute food insecurity worse in many regions.
La Nina, expected to persist through March 2025, will significantly impact rainfall patterns and temperatures. While some areas may benefit from improved agricultural conditions, La Nina is likely to cause devastating floods in countries such as Nigeria, Malawi, Mozambique, South Sudan, Zambia and Zimbabwe, while potentially contributing to dry conditions in Ethiopia, eastern Kenya and Somalia.
These severe weather conditions endanger already delicate food systems, placing millions in danger of starvation. The report emphasised that prompt and focused measures are crucial to avert the worsening of the crisis.
FAO and WFP are calling on global leaders to focus on resolving conflicts, providing economic assistance and implementing climate adaptation strategies to safeguard the most vulnerable groups from the threat of famine.
“It’s time for world leaders to step up and work with us to reach the millions of people at risk of starvation — delivering diplomatic solutions to conflicts, using their influence to enable humanitarians to work safely, and mobilizing the resources and partnerships needed to halt global hunger in its tracks,” said Cindy McCain, WFP Executive Director.