Increasing outbreaks of conflict, extreme weather events and economic downturns will continue to push already vulnerable communities into hunger if appropriate action is not taken. According to this report, in 18 hunger hotspots across 22 countries and territories acute food insecurity is likely to increase in magnitude and severity over the next six months.

Burkina Faso, Mali, South Sudan, and the Sudan remain at the highest alert level for worsening food security, with Palestine added to the list due to the escalation of conflict. These countries demand the most immediate attention as they all have populations who are facing or projected to face starvation (Catastrophe, IPC/CH phase 5), or at risk of deterioration towards catastrophic conditions. 

In addition, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Pakistan, Somalia, the Syrian Arab Republic, and Yemen are hotspots with very high concern levels of acute food insecurity. These hotspots have a significant number of people facing acute food insecurity due to multiple factors - including conflict, which is exacerbated by forecasted weather extremes and economic shocks in these countries that are expected to further intensify life threatening conditions in the coming months. 

Since the previous edition of the report in May 2023, Chad, Djibouti, the Niger, Palestine, and Zimbabwe have been added to the list of new hunger hotspots at risk, while the countries predicted to be affected by drought linked to El Niño – El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua as well as Malawi – remain of concern due to the likely weather impacts on agricultural production.

This report is a significant resource for the humanitarian community, including FAO and WFP. It provides country-specific recommendations on priorities for anticipatory action and immediate emergency response to address existing and emerging needs to save lives and ensure predictable hazards do not become full-blown humanitarian disasters.

The cost of inaction is catastrophic, and business as usual is not an option to achieve food security for all. Without urgent action to address and prepare for the likely increase in humanitarian needs, millions of people could be pushed further into hunger and to the brink of starvation. We must collaborate to prepare for emergency responses, while providing long-term solutions to address the root causes of food insecurity before it is too late.