The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warn that acute food insecurity is likely to deteriorate further in 18 hunger hotspots – comprising a total of 22 countries or territories including two regions – during the period from November 2023 to April 2024. In their latest early warnings report, released Tuesday, the UN agencies say while Burkina Faso, Mali, South Sudan and Sudan remain hotspots of the highest concern regarding hunger, the occupied Palestinian Territories were added to the list of situations of highest concern due to the severe escalation of conflict in the Gaza Strip in October 2023.
The early warnings report said situations of highest concern have populations that are facing or projected to face starvation (IPC Phase 5 Catastrophe) or are at risk of deterioration towards catastrophic conditions during November 2023 to April 2024, given they have populations already facing critical food insecurity (IPC Phase 4 Emergency) and are facing severe aggravating factors.
According to both UN agencies, these five countries or territories require the most urgent attention.
The report said Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria and Yemen are hotspots of very high concern. All these hotspots have a high number of people facing or projected to face critical levels of acute food insecurity, coupled with worsening drivers that are expected to further intensify life-threatening conditions in the months to come.
Since the latest edition of the early warning report in May this year, Chad, Djibouti, Niger, occupied Palestinian Territories and Zimbabwe have been added to the list of hunger hotspot countries and territories, while El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua - the countries in the Dry Corridor of Central America - and Malawi remain hunger hotspot countries.
The UN agencies said the countries and situations covered in their report highlight the most significant deteriorations of hunger expected in the next six months, but do not represent all countries or territories with high levels of acute food insecurity.
The report highlighted that armed violence, in particular the trend of increased civilian targeting, will likely continue to worsen global displacement.
“The ongoing hostilities in the Gaza Strip are expected to further intensify and exacerbate the already dramatic humanitarian implications for the population, with the risk of potentially wider regional implications”, the report said.
Instability and violence also continue to surge in the Sahel region, from the recent coups in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to the unabating conflict in the Sudan affecting neighboring countries like Chad.
FAO and WFP warn that the requested withdrawal and ongoing drawdown of peacekeeping missions from Mali, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Somalia could amplify security risks, increase non‐state armed group (NSAG) activity and attacks against civilians, and could also cause constraints to humanitarian operations.
Ongoing or planned reductions in food and livelihood assistance due to funding shortfalls have already affected several hunger hotspots, including Afghanistan, Haiti, Malawi, occupied Palestinian Territories, Somalia, Syria and Yemen, as well as situations that require monitoring, such as the situation of Rohingya refuges in Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh).
Weather extremes like heavy rains, tropical storms, cyclones, flooding, and drought, remain significant drivers of acute food insecurity in some countries and regions. By September 2023, the El Niño phenomenon reached its peak of activity, with forecasts suggesting a very high likelihood for El Niño conditions persisting throughout the forecast period.
The weather phenomenon has already had a negative impact on various world regions, notably Southeast Asia and Latin America, and is anticipated to persist in the upcoming six months, notably affecting regions in East Africa, Southern Africa and Latin America.
“Urgent and scaled-up assistance is required in all 18 hunger hotspots to protect livelihoods and increase access to food. This is essential to avert a further deterioration of acute food insecurity and malnutrition. In the hotspots of highest concern, humanitarian actions are critical in preventing further starvation and death,” the report said.
IPC stands for the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a multipartner initiative for improving food security and decision-making. The IPC acute food insecurity scale consists of five classifications: (1) minimal/none, (2) stressed, (3) crisis, (4) emergency, and (5) catastrophe/famine.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is an international organization that coordinates and advances international efforts to combat hunger and improve food security and nutrition worldwide. The organization was founded on October 16, 1945, and consists of 195 members. Headquartered in Rome, FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide.
The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization. The UN agency, awarded the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize, is saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to support people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. The World Food Programme works in over 120 countries and territories. For millions of people worldwide, WFP assistance can make the difference between life and death.
Further information
Full text: Hunger Hotspots. FAO–WFP early warnings on acute food insecurity. November 2023 to April 2024 outlook, report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), published October 31, 2023
https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000153539/download/