Key Highlights –
- The UN World Food Programme (WFP) warns that the global hunger crisis is worsening due to sharp funding cuts.
- The 2026 Global Outlook projects 318 million people will face critical hunger next year.
- The agency faces a massive funding deficit, with its 2026 budget dropping 40% to just $6.4 billion.
The world is currently grappling with a severe and intensifying hunger crisis, with available resources falling far short of what is needed. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), based in Rome, issued this serious warning on Tuesday, citing significant and widespread cuts to the funding it relies on to operate.
Global Outlook Projects Hunger Figure More Than Doubles
According to the recently published 2026 Global Outlook report, the WFP shared shocking forecasts: approximately 318 million people are estimated to reach the most dangerous levels of food shortage next year. This dramatic figure is more than twice as high as the total recorded in 2019, clearly illustrating how quickly and deeply food problems have taken hold across the world.
Unacceptable Starvation
WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain stressed the critical nature of the situation, pointing out that several major starvation events are happening at the same time in conflict areas. “The world is currently dealing with multiple famines, including in Gaza and parts of Sudan. This is completely unacceptable in the 21st century,” McCain said in a press statement as reported by Reuters.
She emphasized that effective and quick solutions are known to save lives, but the organization urgently needs more sustained financial support to implement them. McCain warned, “Hunger is becoming more deeply rooted.”
The core reasons for the crisis- long-running conflicts, frequent extreme weather, and broad economic uncertainty are not improving. Although WFP successfully prevented starvation for some groups in 2025, the overall scale of the hunger problem continues to grow.
Donor Aid Slashed, Programs Cut
The severe financial trouble facing the WFP is a direct result of changing priorities among the biggest global sponsors. The US, traditionally the largest single giver to the WFP, has significantly reduced its foreign aid budget under Trump. Furthermore, several other important donor nations have either announced or already made similar cuts to their support, creating a massive gap in required funding.
The WFP expects to receive about 40% less money in 2026 compared to the previous year. This means the planned budget will be constrained to just $6.4 billion, a sharp drop from the $10 billion it received in 2025.
Speaking at a press briefing in Geneva, WFP Director Jean-Martin Bauer detailed the severe effects of these funding shortages on the ground. In Afghanistan, where food programs have already been greatly reduced this year, Bauer reported that nearly nine out of every ten people, including women and children, walking long distances to reach nutrition centres, are being turned away because there isn’t enough aid.
Risk of Wider Problems
Bauer cautioned that cutting off this critical support could lead to problems that affect entire regions, potentially increasing conflict and forcing large groups of people to migrate. He warned that the consequences of “hunger getting out of control” in one country could spread, affecting neighboring nations that were not the cause of the problem.
The WFP stated that its plan involves three key actions: providing emergency food, enhancing the resilience of local communities against shocks, and strengthening national support systems. Meanwhile, promising to use technology to improve efficiency.
The problem posed by the 318 million people facing extreme hunger in 2026 is an increasing crisis that, without immediate financial correction, threatens to define the humanitarian landscape for years to come.
