In 13 “hunger hotspots,” conditions are expected to worsen for millions of people

17 June 2026 Humanitarian aid

In the new issue of the report “Hotspots of Hunger,” which is published twice a year as part of the Global Network on Food Crises, Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen, and Palestine are named as the most critical hotspots in terms of the scale and severity of hunger.

Nigeria has been added to the list of countries causing the greatest concern. According to forecasts, during the upcoming reporting period, the population of Borno state may face a catastrophic level of hunger. Somalia was included in the same category, where residents of the Bur Hakaba district in the Bay region are threatened by mass hunger.

Conflicts, crises, and lack of financing

Armed conflicts and violence remain the main factors exacerbating the situation; they affect 12 out of 13 “hot spots”. Food supply shortages are also linked to economic shocks and a severe financing deficit. Moreover, the El Niño phenomenon may bring uneven rainfall, droughts, and floods.

Meanwhile, the amount of funding for food aid, emergency agricultural support, and nutrition programs decreased by approximately 59 percent during the period from 2022 to 2025. At the same time, the number of people facing acute food insecurity in crisis areas increased to about 266 million.

Additional shocks are shaking the forecasts for millions of inhabitants of the planet. This is related to the “domino effect” fromconflict in the Middle Eastand an Ebola outbreak in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The most critical hotspots

In Sudan, the risk of mass famine before September 2026 has been identified in 14 districts of the states of North Darfur, South Darfur, and South Kordofan; it is expected that in 13 districts this threat will persist up to the harvest collection in January 2027. According to estimates, by May 2026, 19.5 million people — 41 percent of the population — suffered from acute food insecurity at a high level. According to forecasts, the number of people at risk in a catastrophic situation will increase in 15 districts to 200 thousand people in June-September 2026 compared to 135 thousand in February-May 2026.

In South Sudan, according to the report, from April to July 2026, 7.8 million people – 55 percent of the population – will face a severe food insecurity situation. Four regions are forecasted to be at risk of mass starvation by July 2026.

It is expected that in 2026, the indicators of acute food insecurity in Yemen will remain among the worst in the world. According to earlier estimates, more than half of the population — 18.3 million people — would face food insecurity. According to a new analysis, about 5.4 million people in territory controlled by the government will face crisis or worse levels of food insecurity from June to September 2026.

For Nigeria, the maximum level of alarm is now recorded: about 34.8 million people will face acute high-level food insecurity in June–August 2026, including 1.8 million people in an emergency phase and about 15 thousand people in a catastrophic situation in Borno state.

The situation in the Gaza sector improved after the ceasefire in October 2025, but remains fragile. Across the entire territory, the risk of hunger persisted until mid-April 2026, with 1.6 million people experiencing acute food insecurity and in urgent need of assistance (77 percent of the analyzed population). At the time the report was compiled, forecasts for the period from June to November 2026 were not available.

For 6 million people in Somalia, a high level of acute food insecurity is projected during the period from April to June 2026. Currently, there is a risk of mass starvation identified in the Burhakaba area. This reflects an overall worsening situation in the country caused by prolonged drought, record low harvests, conflicts, and the consequences of the Horn of Africa crisis.

High level of anxiety

Afghanistan continues to suffer from prolonged drought, high food prices, and escalation of the conflict.

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Gaiti, previously classified under the “maximum alert” zone, has moved to the “very high concern” category. This reflects limited local improvements, including a slowdown in inflation and improved access to some roads, but the overall situation remains extremely unstable.

Other “hot spots”

Myanmar and Mali are classified as “hotspots” where a deterioration of conditions is expected. Conflicts, economic pressure, and climate instability increase the vulnerability of the population. Lebanon and Madagascar were added to the “hotspots” list following an escalation of hostilities at the end of February 2026 and adverse, unpredictable weather conditions accordingly.

Overall, the report indicates a deterioration of prospects for millions of people in the second half of 2026, with unprecedented scales of catastrophic hunger already spreading or threatening several regions at once.

What is necessarily to be done?

FAO and WFP call for immediate coordinated actions to increase humanitarian aid, ensure safe access, invest in sources of resources for existence and strengthen community resilience.

“The warnings contained in this report cannot be ignored,” emphasized Karl Skau, Acting Executive Director of the WFP. “Conflicts, shocks, and other disasters force families to make impossible decisions about who will eat and who will go to bed hungry.”

The report emphasizes that early response saves lives and is significantly more economically effective than reacting to an already expanded crisis. Without firmer political commitments, predictable financing, and collective action, the situation in the world’s most vulnerable region will only deepen in the coming months.

“We already know where the next emergency situations related to hunger will arise,” said FAO Deputy Director-General Bet Bekdo. “The question is whether we can act quickly enough and on a necessary scale.”