World drifts toward 2026 hunger crisis, UN WFP warns

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has issued one of its starkest warnings in years, saying it will be forced to prioritise assistance for just 110 million of the world’s hungriest people in 2026 as global funding for humanitarian operations continues to slide.

Releasing its 2026 Global Outlook, the agency said 318 million people are expected to face crisis levels of hunger or worse next year — more than double the figure in 2019.

Yet WFP projects it will receive only around half of the US$13 billion required to reach those most at risk, leaving tens of millions without life-saving support.

WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain described the situation as a failure of international will. “The world is grappling with simultaneous famines in Gaza and parts of Sudan. This is completely unacceptable in the twenty-first century,” she said. “Across the globe, hunger is becoming more entrenched. WFP has proven time and again that early, effective, and innovative solutions can save lives and change lives – but we desperately need more support to continue this vital work.”

Global hunger outpacing resources

Humanitarian needs surged throughout 2025 as conflict, climate-driven disasters, and economic instability pushed communities to the brink. WFP said its interventions this year prevented famine in several hotspots, yet similar conditions are expected to intensify in 2026.

The agency warned that chronic underfunding risks undermining both emergency operations and long-term efforts to build resilience against future food shocks. Despite WFP’s efforts to streamline programmes and adopt new technologies to drive efficiency, its ability to scale operations is increasingly constrained by donor fatigue and shifting geopolitical priorities.

Innovation can’t substitute for lost funding

WFP said it will continue to rely on digital tools, data systems, and private-sector partnerships to stretch every available dollar. But officials cautioned that innovation alone cannot compensate for the widening gap between need and resources.

The agency plans to continue providing emergency food and nutrition assistance, strengthen community resilience programmes, and support national food systems. But with only limited funding expected, its operations will have to be sharply triaged — a situation that risks locking millions into long-term deprivation.

McCain stressed that humanitarian agencies cannot be expected to shoulder the global food crisis without robust political backing. “WFP provides a critical lifeline to people on the frontlines of conflicts and weather disasters, as well as those forced to leave their homes, and we are transforming how we work to invest in long-term solutions to address food insecurity,” she said. “Ending entrenched hunger demands much more sustained support and real global commitment and collaboration.”

A plea for renewed global action

WFP is now calling on governments and donors to reverse the downward trajectory in humanitarian financing and invest in proven interventions capable of preventing famine and stabilising communities.

Without a substantial increase in funding early next year, the agency warns the world could witness avoidable hunger emergencies on an unprecedented scale — a scenario that would further stretch already overburdened humanitarian systems and deepen global instability.

WFP said it is still possible to make progress towards the UN’s Zero Hunger goal in 2026, but only if the international community mobilises quickly. Otherwise, the gap between global needs and global action will continue to widen, leaving millions to suffer the consequences.

By Aghakazim Guliyev