Famine wars worsened by conflict and climate shocks, UN reports

ROME — Severe food crises threaten hundreds of thousands of people in fragile areas where populations are facing or on the verge of famine, including the Palestinian territories, Sudan, South Sudan, Haiti and Mali, according to a report by the United Nations food agency released on Thursday.

Conflict, economic instability and climate shocks, combined with reduced funding for emergency food and agricultural aid, are leading to alarming levels of acute food insecurity, the report warned.

“Urgent, expanded intervention is needed to prevent further deterioration in these already fragile areas,” the statement said.

Acute food insecurity is forecast to worsen in 16 “hunger hotspots” in 14 countries and two regions over the next six months, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Program said.

The report stated that Sudan, South Sudan, Haiti, Mali and the Palestinian territories remain at the “highest level of concern”.

Chad, Lebanon, Myanmar, Mozambique, Nigeria, Syrian Arab Republic and Yemen are classified as “hotspots of very high concern” where large numbers of people are or are predicted to face critical levels of acute food insecurity.

“Conflict and armed violence remain major causes of hunger in many hotspots, disrupting food systems, displacing populations and impeding access to humanitarian aid,” the report said.

FAO and WFP experts believe: conflict in sudan It will expand “causing mass displacement, possibly resulting in continued levels of famine and increasing numbers of people in catastrophic conditions.”

This will further aggravate the regional humanitarian crisis and lead to increased cross-border movements to neighboring countries, especially Chad, South Sudan, Egypt, Libya, Ethiopia and the Central African Republic.

UN agencies also highlighted ongoing work. Conflict in Palestinian territories It has led to “unprecedented needs with near-total population displacement and increased risk of regional spread.”

Experts added that the escalation of the ongoing conflict in Lebanon has significantly increased the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance and has seriously affected levels of acute food insecurity.

Since the last report in May 2024, Kenya, Lesotho, Namibia and Niger have been added to the list of hunger hotspots, partly due to the impact of extreme climate conditions.

Beyond conflicts, extreme weather conditions and increasing climate variability are worsening acute food insecurity in many regions, the report said.

La Niña, a natural climate pattern influencing global weather marked by cooler ocean temperatures in the equatorial Pacific, is expected to continue through March 2025, with a significant impact on precipitation patterns and temperatures.

“While La Niña may improve agricultural prospects in some regions, it also increases the risk of flooding in parts of Nigeria, Malawi, Mozambique, South Sudan, Zambia and Zimbabwe,” the report said.

UN agencies have warned that without “urgent humanitarian efforts and concerted international action” to address severe restrictions and advocate for conflict reduction, further hunger and loss of life are likely in Palestine, Sudan, South Sudan, Haiti and Mali.

“Addressing and preventing famine in these regions will require greater investment in integrated solutions that address traditional imperatives, target the root causes of food insecurity, and reduce dependence on emergency aid,” they said.