UN Agencies Warn of “Preventable” Famine Threatening Millions Across Africa and Beyond
NAIROBI – Millions of people in Nigeria, Mali, South Sudan, and Kenya are at immediate risk of famine as critical funding for food aid dries up, according to a dire new alert from United Nations food agencies.
A joint report from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) identifies conflict and widespread violence as the primary drivers of the escalating crisis. The report highlights several countries on the brink, with Nigeria and Kenya among the worst-hit, alongside Haiti, Mali, South Sudan, Sudan, and Yemen. The agencies also note that refugee populations, including the Rohingya in Bangladesh, are facing severe hunger.
WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain issued a stark warning, stating, “We are on the brink of a completely preventable hunger catastrophe.” She emphasized that a failure to act swiftly would have devastating consequences, fueling further instability, mass migration, and conflict in the affected regions.
The warning comes as a massive funding shortfall has forced the WFP to make drastic cuts to essential programs. These reductions include slashing food rations for refugees and scaling back school feeding initiatives, which are a vital lifeline for millions of vulnerable children.
The report underscores that without an urgent injection of funds, a widespread hunger crisis is imminent, threatening to push already fragile communities into famine.
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