SYLLABUS

GS-2: Issues relating to Poverty and Hunger; Important International Institutions, agencies and fora - their Structure, Mandate.   

Context: A joint Hunger Hotspots report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that millions of people are likely to face worsening acute hunger across 13 global hotspots between June and November 2026. 

Key Highlights of the Report

• The latest FAO-WFP Hunger Hotspots Outlook (June–November 2026) identifies 13 countries and territories where acute food insecurity is expected to worsen significantly in the coming months. 

• Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen, Palestine, Northeast Nigeria, and Somalia have been identified as hotspots of highest concern, owing to the risk of famine, catastrophic hunger and rising mortality. 

• Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Haiti are categorised as hotspots of very high concern, requiring urgent humanitarian intervention. 

• The remaining hotspots include Myanmar, Mali, Lebanon, and Madagascar, where conflict, economic shocks and climate-related stresses continue to undermine food security. 

• The report notes that nearly 266 million people experienced acute food insecurity in 2025, underscoring the growing scale of the global hunger crisis. 

• Several hotspot regions contain populations facing IPC Phase 5 (Catastrophe/Famine) conditions, the most severe level of food insecurity under the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification framework.

• The report highlights that armed conflict and violence are the main drivers of hunger in 12 of the 13 hotspots. 

Factors Behind Worsening Global Hunger

• Armed Conflict and Insecurity: Conflict remains the primary driver of acute hunger, disrupting agricultural production, markets, livelihoods and humanitarian operations in countries such as Sudan, Gaza, Yemen, Myanmar and parts of the Sahel.

• Climate Extremes: Recurring droughts, floods, cyclones and erratic weather patterns are undermining food production, damaging livelihoods and increasing vulnerability in already fragile regions.

• Economic Shocks: Persistent inflation, high food prices, currency depreciation and weak economic conditions are reducing households' purchasing power and access to nutritious food.

• Displacement and Humanitarian Constraints: Large-scale displacement, restricted humanitarian access, and declining international funding are limiting the delivery of life-saving food assistance and nutrition support.

Global Efforts to Address Hunger

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2: Zero Hunger: SDG 2 seeks to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030.

• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): FAO leads global efforts to improve food security, agricultural productivity and nutrition, while also supporting food-security monitoring and early-warning systems.

• World Food Programme (WFP): WFP is the world's largest humanitarian organisation addressing hunger and food emergencies and was awarded the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to combat hunger and prevent its use as a weapon of war.

• Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC): The IPC is an internationally recognised framework used to assess and classify the severity of food insecurity, with Phase 5 (Catastrophe/Famine) representing the most critical situation.

• Early Warning and Humanitarian Response: FAO and WFP jointly publish the Hunger Hotspots Outlook to identify countries at risk of deteriorating food security and facilitate timely humanitarian interventions before crises escalate into famine.