Throughout 2023, needs remained unacceptably and stubbornly high: 258 million people in 53 countries were acutely food insecure. Concurrently, humanitarian budgets began tightening, leaving millions without assistance.

Food crises continue to dominate the global outlook for 2024. Extreme weather events driven by the climate crisis are interacting with new and intensifying conflicts and economic instability, pushing humanitarian needs higher.

The reality of high needs and likely further contraction of bilateral donor funding means that the 2024 humanitarian response planning process must further sharpen its focus on those most at risk and the most cost-effective ways to meet their immediate food security needs.

In 2024, within the Humanitarian Response Plans, FAO is seeking a total of USD 1.8 billion to assist 43 million people to produce their own food. At a time of funding cuts, this support is both life-saving and cost-effective – on average for every USD 50 a donor provides, rural families are producing USD 300 in food.