Global Hunger Crisis Doubles in a Decade as Humanitarian Funding Plummets
Nairobi, 24 April 2026
The UN’s 2026 Global Report on Food Crises reveals that 266 million people across 47 countries faced acute hunger in 2025, with numbers doubling over the past decade. Most alarmingly, 35.5 million children suffer from acute malnutrition, including nearly 10 million with severe cases. Famine has been declared in both Gaza and parts of Sudan, marking an unprecedented development with two conflict-driven famines occurring simultaneously. Despite escalating need, humanitarian funding has retreated to 2016 levels, creating a dangerous gap between resources and requirements. Over 85 million displaced people live in food-crisis contexts, highlighting the vicious cycle between conflict and hunger that UN Secretary-General António Guterres warns is becoming increasingly entrenched globally.
Conflict Drives Unprecedented Humanitarian Emergency
The stark reality behind these figures lies in the primary driver of global hunger: armed conflict. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres emphasised that ‘conflict remains the primary driver of acute food insecurity and malnutrition for millions around the world, with outright famine emerging in two conflict-affected areas in the same year – an unprecedented development’ [1]. Ten countries account for two-thirds of all people facing high levels of acute hunger: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Sudan, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, and Yemen [1]. The interconnected nature of displacement and food insecurity has created what UNHCR’s Barham Salih describes as a critical situation, noting that ‘86 per cent of people forced to flee live in countries facing food crises’ [1].
Children Bear the Heaviest Burden
The humanitarian crisis has disproportionately affected the world’s most vulnerable populations, with children facing the gravest consequences. The 2026 report documents that 35.5 million children experienced acute malnutrition in 2025, with nearly 10 million suffering from severe acute malnutrition [1]. This represents a devastating impact on an entire generation, as malnutrition in early childhood can have lifelong consequences for physical and cognitive development [GPT]. The scale of child malnutrition underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions that go beyond emergency food assistance to address the underlying causes of hunger.
Funding Crisis Hampers Response Efforts
Despite the escalating crisis, international support has diminished precisely when it is needed most. The Global Report on Food Crises 2026, released on 23 April 2026, reveals that humanitarian and development funding for food crises has retreated to 2016 levels [1]. European Commissioner Hadja Lahbib acknowledged this challenge, stating that ‘The Global Report on Food Crises is multilateral cooperation at its best…hunger is getting worse…The European Union remains firmly committed to fighting food insecurity as a reliable and principled humanitarian donor’ [1]. This funding shortage has created a dangerous mismatch between the scale of need and available resources, hampering the ability of humanitarian agencies to provide adequate assistance to affected populations.
Regional Displacement Patterns Emerge
The displacement crisis extends beyond individual countries, creating regional instability that further exacerbates food insecurity. In East Africa, Burundi hosts 230,000 refugees, with many originating from the Democratic Republic of the Congo [3]. The UNHCR has announced plans for voluntary repatriation of thousands of DRC refugees from Burundi, acknowledging that reduced aid availability has made the situation increasingly challenging [3]. The Busuma refugee camp, housing approximately 66,000 DRC nationals who arrived in Burundi since late 2025, faces severe shortages of clean water, food, medicine, shelter, and protection services [3]. Meanwhile, regional tensions continue to mount, with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi declaring that Sudan’s unity and borders represent ‘a red line for Egypt’s national security’ during discussions with Finnish President Alexander Stubb in Cairo [4]. The ongoing conflict in Sudan, which began in 2023, has killed thousands and displaced millions, creating additional refugee pressures on neighbouring countries [4].