Africa: Strengthening El Niño to Push 49 Million More People Into Acute Hunger

What the report says

The UN World Food Programme says a strengthening El Niño weather pattern could push nearly 50 million more people in vulnerable communities worldwide into acute hunger, with the effects expected to begin in September and continue into 2027. The warning, published through UN News and carried by AllAfrica, says the agency is focusing on countries already facing poverty, conflict, unemployment and repeated climate shocks.

WFP said it has analysed 45 food-insecure countries where El Niño is likely to affect rainfall, temperatures, floods and droughts. It expects the number of acutely food-insecure people to rise from about 225 million to 274 million, with Central America and southern Africa among the hardest-hit areas. Other regions flagged include eastern Africa, West and Central Africa, and parts of Asia and the Pacific. The report also notes that Latin America and the Caribbean could see a sharp rise in food insecurity.

The agency and partners, including the Food and Agriculture Organization, are expanding anticipatory action in more than 50 countries. Existing prevention plans cover areas such as South Sudan, Chad, Mauritania, Uganda, Guatemala and El Salvador. WFP says early preparation for floods, droughts and storms can reduce losses and lower later humanitarian costs. As broader context, El Niño is a recurring climate event that can disrupt weather patterns, crop production and food supplies in many regions.