A joint report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) indicates that without an urgent and substantial humanitarian response, inhabitants in these five critical hotspots face extreme hunger, with an escalating risk of famine and mortality in the coming months.

Cindy McCain, Executive Director of the World Food Programme, underscored the gravity of the situation, stating, “This report serves as a red alert. We are aware of where hunger is intensifying and who is most vulnerable.”

These devastating crises are compounded by increasingly restricted access for aid delivery and severe shortfalls in crucial funding.

Gaza and Sudan: critical hunger hotspots

In Sudan, a famine has been officially declared since 2024. The UN anticipates this dire situation will persist, driven by ongoing conflict and widespread population displacement, particularly evident in the Greater Kordofan and Greater Darfur regions. Approximately 24.6 million individuals are projected to experience crisis-level or worse acute food insecurity, with 637,000 facing catastrophic conditions through May 2025.

Meanwhile, in Gaza, the likelihood of famine is escalating rapidly. Extensive military operations severely impede the delivery of essential humanitarian aid, encompassing both food and non-food items. The entire population of the Palestinian enclave, totaling 2.1 million people, is expected to face crisis or worse levels of acute food insecurity, with a staggering 470,000 anticipated to endure catastrophic circumstances until September 2025.

Catastrophic levels in Haiti and South Sudan

South Sudan faces a particularly grim outlook, with famine risks confirmed in two of its regions, signaling a critical situation for the East African nation. An estimated 7.7 million people, representing 57% of the total population, are projected to experience high levels of acute food insecurity between April and July 2025, with 63,000 of these individuals confronting catastrophic levels.

In Haiti, unprecedented levels of gang violence and pervasive insecurity are forcibly displacing communities and severely obstructing humanitarian access. Over 8,400 internally displaced persons in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince are already grappling with catastrophic acute food insecurity by June 2025.

Urgent concerns in Mali

Concurrently, Mali is experiencing a severe erosion of coping mechanisms among its most vulnerable households, particularly in conflict-affected areas, due to soaring cereal prices and persistent conflict. Approximately 2,600 people are at risk of catastrophic food insecurity between June and August 2025 unless timely aid interventions are implemented.

Beyond these most critical areas, several other nations, including Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar, and Nigeria, are now designated as highly concerning hotspots, demanding immediate action to safeguard lives and livelihoods. Additional regions of concern encompass Burkina Faso, Chad, Somalia, and Syria.

Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the FAO, emphasized the immediate nature of the crisis: “This report unequivocally demonstrates that hunger is not a distant threat today; it is a daily emergency for millions.” He further urged, “We must act now, and act collectively, to save lives and preserve livelihoods.”

Progress despite funding challenges

Conversely, some regions have seen improvements. Ethiopia, Kenya, Lebanon, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Zambia, and Zimbabwe have been removed from the hunger hotspot list. This positive change in East and Southern Africa, as well as Niger, is attributed to more favorable climatic conditions for harvests and a reduction in extreme weather events. Lebanon’s removal reflects a decrease in the intensity of military operations.

This escalating food insecurity across multiple global regions coincides with severe funding shortfalls, which are compelling aid organizations to reduce food rations and constrain the reach of essential nutrition and agricultural interventions.

Ms. McCain reiterated the critical need for resources: “We possess the necessary tools and experience to respond, but without funding and access, we cannot save lives. Urgent and sustained investment in food assistance and recovery support is paramount, as the window to avert another devastating famine is rapidly closing.”