The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have issued a warning that 22 countries are facing severe food crises in the upcoming six months. The report highlights that the risk of famine looms for hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza, Sudan, South Sudan, Haiti, and Mali, necessitating urgent interventions to prevent further loss of life.
The report, released on October 31, 2024, indicates that the crises are driven by armed conflicts, particularly in the Middle East and Sudan, as well as by climate and economic pressures. It emphasizes that the risk of famine is particularly high in the Zam Zam displacement camps in Sudan and the Gaza Strip, where displaced groups in Haiti and South Sudan are also facing critical, even catastrophic, conditions.
In Gaza, the situation remains dire more than a year after the onset of the Israeli offensive, with the population experiencing unprecedented needs and a significant risk of famine. The report notes that levels of violence and economic issues are escalating in the occupied Palestinian territory of the West Bank, compounded by the intensification of conflict in Lebanon, which further increases the number of people requiring humanitarian assistance and severely impacts food security.
Meanwhile, the ongoing war in Sudan continues to perpetuate hunger levels, exacerbated by a deepening economic crisis and extreme restrictions on humanitarian aid access. Additionally, the phenomenon known as 'La Niña,' associated with cooler-than-usual weather in various parts of the world, is expected to persist until May 2025. This situation may disrupt rainfall patterns and affect agriculture in critical regions, increasing the risk of flooding in Nigeria, South Sudan, and southern Africa.