- The UN World Food Programme (WFP) warns that a powerful El Niño weather pattern could push nearly 49 million more people into acute hunger by the end of next year, bringing the total to approximately 274 million.
- There is an 81 per cent chance of a very strong El Niño developing, potentially becoming the strongest since 1950, threatening food production through widespread droughts, floods, and erratic rainfall.
- Central America and Southern Africa are projected to be among the hardest-hit regions, with food insecurity expected to increase by 83 per cent and nearly 75 per cent respectively.
- The WFP highlighted that funding cuts from the United States and Europe are hindering efforts to track emerging hunger crises, leading to a reduction in household surveys and weaker monitoring.
- Despite global food supplies being in relatively good shape, the WFP has expanded anticipatory aid programmes in 18 countries, reaching over 1.3 million people this year to mitigate the impact of extreme weather.
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