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United Nations

Global Hunger Crisis Deepens as WFP Faces Severe Funding Shortfalls

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that nearly 14 million people could face severe hunger by the end of the year due to drastic funding cuts, threatening six of its most critical operations in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan. The crisis comes as global hunger reaches record highs, with 319 million people facing acute food insecurity, including 44 million at emergency level. WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain emphasized that every ration cut means a child goes to bed hungry, a mother skips a meal, or a family loses the support they need to survive.

Key Takeaways:

  • Nearly 14 million people could face severe hunger by the end of the year, according to the WFP.
  • Six critical WFP operations in Afghanistan, the DRC, Haiti, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan are at risk due to slashed funding.
  • Global hunger has reached record highs, with 319 million people facing acute food insecurity, including 44 million at emergency level.
  • Famine has taken hold in Sudan and the Gaza Strip.
  • The WFP expects to receive 40 percent less funding this year, resulting in a projected budget of $6.4 billion, down from $10 billion in 2024.
  • The cuts could push 13.7 million people who receive WFP food assistance from crisis to emergency levels of hunger.
  • Food assistance is reaching less than 10 per cent of those who need it in Afghanistan, despite soaring malnutrition rates.
  • In the DRC, 28 million people are food insecure, and WFP had to slash its planned food assistance from 2.3 million people to 600,000.
  • In Haiti, hot meal programmes have stopped, and families are receiving half WFP's standard monthly rations.
  • WFP supports 350,000 people in Somalia, down from 2.2 million last year.
  • All WFP food recipients in South Sudan now get a reduced ration, which will be missing some food items from October.
  • The WFP currently supports four million people each month in war-torn Sudan, but 25 million people, half the population, are facing acute food insecurity.

Statistics:

  • 319 million people are facing acute food insecurity worldwide.
  • 44 million people are at emergency level of hunger.
  • Nearly 14 million people could face severe hunger by the end of the year.
  • $10 billion was the WFP budget in 2024.
  • $6.4 billion is the projected WFP budget for 2025, a 40% decrease from 2024.
  • 28 million people in the DRC are food insecure.
  • 25 million people in Sudan are facing acute food insecurity.
  • 4 million people in Sudan receive WFP food assistance each month.
  • 350,000 people in Somalia receive WFP food assistance.

Sources:

  • WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain
  • United Nations News (http://milnz.co.nz/mil-osi-aggregation/)
  • World Food Programme (http://www1.wfp.org/)

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