ROME — The Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Programme released a joint report in June 2026, projecting an increase in acute food insecurity across 13 global locations through November 2026. Approximately 266 million people globally are currently experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity.

The report identified Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen, and the Gaza Strip as the highest-priority hot spots. Nigeria and Somalia were newly added to this highest-risk category. Haiti, Afghanistan, Congo, Myanmar, Mali, Lebanon, and Madagascar are also included on the list of hot spots.

Conflict and violence are the primary drivers of hunger in nearly all identified hot spots. Economic shifts, reductions in humanitarian financing, and an expected El Niño weather pattern are contributing to food security risks. WFP Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Service Director Jean-Martin Bauer said, "Economic shocks are compounding food insecurity, and climate change and climate variability are also further intensifying the situation." An Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo is disrupting local markets and the delivery of humanitarian aid.

Famine risks are projected between June and November 2026 in Nigeria's Borno state, Somalia's Burhakaba district, South Sudan's Jonglei and Upper Nile states, and Sudan's North Darfur, South Darfur, and South Kordofan regions. Nearly 20 million people in Sudan experienced crisis-level hunger or worse earlier in 2026. In the Gaza Strip, 1.6 million people were identified as acutely food insecure earlier in 2026, with over 500,000 classified at emergency levels. Yemen contains the largest population experiencing emergency or catastrophic food insecurity levels.

WFP Acting Executive Director Carl Skau said, "The warnings in this report cannot be ignored. Without action now, millions more are expected to face worsening levels of hunger in the months ahead, pushing some closer to famine." Skau said, "Conflict, shocks, and disasters are forcing families to make decisions about food distribution." FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol said, "The challenge is whether we act early enough and at the necessary scale."

Funding for food assistance programs decreased by approximately 59 percent between 2022 and 2025, while demand increased. The WFP's $10 billion funding appeal for 2026 has not received full financial commitments. FAO Director Rein Paulsen said, "As of June 2026 only about a third of the prioritized requirements for food security funding and activities globally has been met, forcing extremely difficult choices." The United States pledged $800 million to the WFP to assist more than 38 million people across at least 37 countries. The U.S. restored funding to the WFP in December 2025 and announced $218 million in assistance to UNICEF.