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Agriculture

Escalating Humanitarian Crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Democratic Republic of Congo is facing an escalating humanitarian crisis, with acute food insecurity remaining stubbornly high and emergency hunger levels surging in the conflict-hit eastern provinces. According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, 26.6 million people nationwide are projected to face crisis levels of food insecurity or worse by early 2026, including 3.9 million people in emergency levels of hunger.

Key Takeaways:

  • The conflict-affected eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri, and Tanganyika are the worst-hit areas, with over 10 million people expected to face crisis levels of food insecurity or worse by January 2026.
  • Malnutrition is widespread across the country, with nearly half of all children under five (approximately 3.2 million) suffering from chronic undernutrition, severely impacting their growth and development.
  • The FAO requires US$127 million to scale up support to assist around 2.4 million people in 2026, with only 217,000 people assisted as of the end of August 2025 due to a massive funding gap.
  • WFP's country operation faces a US$349 million funding gap through April 2026, with assistance reduced to 600,000 people in 2025 due to funding shortfalls.
  • The latest IPC figures make it clear that the eastern DRC's food crisis is escalating, with millions of lives at risk and regional stability threatened.

Statistics:

  • 26.6 million people nationwide are projected to face crisis levels of food insecurity or worse by early 2026 (IPC Phase 3 and above).
  • 3.9 million people are expected to face emergency levels of hunger by early 2026 (IPC Phase 4).
  • 10 million people in the four eastern provinces (about one-third of the local population) are expected to face crisis levels of food insecurity or worse by January 2026.
  • 3 million people are already experiencing emergency levels of hunger, representing 75 percent of all those in such conditions nationwide.
  • Nearly half of all children under five (approximately 3.2 million) suffer from chronic undernutrition.

Sources:

  • FAO and WFP
  • IPC analysis
  • World Food Programme (WFP)
  • Athman Mravili, Representative ad interim for FAO in DRC
  • Cynthia Jones, WFP's Acting Country Director and Representative in DRC

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