Key Details
The FAO–WFP Hunger Hotspots: Early Warnings on Acute Food Insecurity (June–November 2026 Outlook) assesses where food-security conditions are most likely to deteriorate over the coming six months. The report warns that conflict remains the principal driver of hunger emergencies, while climate shocks, economic pressures, and declining humanitarian assistance are compounding risks across multiple regions.
Risk Category | Countries / Territories |
|---|---|
Highest Concern | Sudan, South Sudan, Palestine (Gaza Strip), Yemen, Somalia, Northeast Nigeria |
Very High Concern | Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti |
Deteriorating Hotspots | Mali, Myanmar, Lebanon, Madagascar |
Why the Report Matters
The report identifies 13 hunger hotspots where acute food insecurity is expected to worsen between June and November 2026.
Humanitarian funding for food-security responses has fallen by 59% compared to 2022 levels.
Only 33% of global food-security funding requirements had been met by mid-2026.
Several hotspot countries are already experiencing or are at risk of IPC/CH Phase 5 (Catastrophe/Famine)conditions.
The report highlights potential spillovers through food prices, fertiliser costs, energy markets, and shipping disruptions.
Pakistan is among the countries requiring monitoring due to rising climate and food-security vulnerabilities.
Summary
Conflict Continues to Drive the World’s Most Severe Hunger Crises
The report identifies Sudan, South Sudan, Palestine (Gaza Strip), Yemen, Somalia, and Northeast Nigeria as the locations facing the highest risk of catastrophic food insecurity. These areas are characterised by prolonged conflict, displacement, restricted humanitarian access, economic collapse, or a combination of multiple shocks.
Among them, Sudan remains the most severe concern, with 19.5 million people facing acute food insecurity and multiple areas assessed as being at risk of famine conditions. Similar concerns persist across parts of South Sudan, Gaza, and Yemen, where conflict continues to undermine food access, livelihoods, and humanitarian operations.
Humanitarian Funding Is Shrinking as Needs Rise
One of the report’s most significant findings is the widening gap between humanitarian needs and available funding.
The FAO and WFP report that funding for food-security responses has fallen by 59% compared to 2022 levels, while only 33% of global emergency food-security requirements had been funded by mid-2026. The agencies warn that this shortfall is reducing the ability of humanitarian organisations to deliver food assistance, nutrition programmes, livelihood support, and emergency interventions in crisis-affected regions.
The report suggests that declining humanitarian resources are becoming an increasingly important risk factor in their own right, particularly in countries already experiencing conflict and displacement.
Climate and Economic Pressures Are Intensifying Food Insecurity
Beyond conflict, the report highlights the growing role of climate extremes, weather variability, and economic shocks in worsening food insecurity.
Countries such as Madagascar, Somalia, and parts of the Sahel continue to face agricultural disruptions linked to droughts, erratic rainfall, and environmental stress. At the same time, high food prices, currency pressures, and economic instability are reducing household purchasing power in many vulnerable economies.
The report warns that climate-related shocks increasingly interact with conflict and economic fragility, creating overlapping crises that are more difficult to address through traditional humanitarian responses alone.
Several Countries Show Signs of Further Deterioration
The report classifies Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Haiti as countries of very high concern, while Mali, Myanmar, Lebanon, and Madagascar are identified as deteriorating hotspots requiring close monitoring.
In addition, several countries have been placed under a separate monitoring category due to rising vulnerabilities. These include Pakistan, where climate-related pressures and agricultural risks could further affect food-security outcomes if conditions worsen.
Hunger Crises Have Global Economic Implications
The report notes that major conflicts, particularly in the Middle East, are contributing to broader disruptions in energy markets, fertiliser supply chains, and maritime trade routes.
Shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and other strategic corridors have increased transport costs and added pressure to global food and agricultural supply chains. These developments illustrate how severe food-security crises can have consequences that extend beyond affected countries, influencing commodity markets, inflation, and trade flows worldwide.
What Is IPC/CH Phase 5 (Catastrophe/Famine)?
IPC/CH Phase 5 is the highest classification within the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) and Cadre Harmonisé (CH) systems used to assess food-security conditions. It indicates extreme food shortages, severe malnutrition, and elevated mortality risks. Areas classified under Phase 5 are considered to be experiencing catastrophe or famine conditions and require urgent humanitarian intervention to prevent large-scale loss of life.
Policy Relevance
Highlights the continued centrality of conflict as the largest driver of severe food insecurity globally.
Demonstrates the growing interaction between climate shocks and food-security risks, particularly in fragile regions.
Underscores the consequences of declining humanitarian funding at a time of rising need.
Signals potential spillovers into global food, fertiliser, and energy markets, affecting countries beyond the identified hotspots.
Reinforces the importance of early-warning systems and anticipatory action in preventing food crises from escalating into famine conditions.
Offers important regional signals for South Asia, particularly as Pakistan remains under monitoring for climate-related vulnerabilities.
Follow the Full Report Here: FAO–WFP Hunger Hotspots: Early Warnings on Acute Food Insecurity (June–November 2026 Outlook)