Global Hunger Reaches Record Levels Amid Funding Collapse

ROME, ITALY – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) issued a dire warning on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, projecting that a record 318 million people worldwide will face crisis levels of hunger or worse in 2026. According to the agency's "2026 Global Outlook" report, this figure is more than double the number recorded in 2019, underscoring a rapidly deteriorating global food security situation. The crisis is punctuated by the declaration of famine in parts of Gaza and Sudan, a situation WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain described as "completely unacceptable in the twenty-first century."

The primary drivers of this unprecedented crisis are a toxic combination of persistent conflict, extreme weather events linked to climate change, and widespread economic instability. Conflict remains the single largest driver, affecting 14 of the 16 designated hunger hotspots and accounting for nearly 70 percent of acute food insecurity. However, a severe decline in global humanitarian funding is crippling the response. The WFP aims to reach 110 million of the most vulnerable people in 2026 at an estimated cost of US$13 billion. Yet, current funding forecasts indicate the agency may receive only half of that amount, forcing drastic cuts to aid in nearly all its operations. "Global aid now covers less than half of total needs, with steep reductions in food assistance," McCain stated in the report's foreword.

Kenya's Alarming Return to the Hunger Hotspot List

For Kenya, the global crisis has immediate and severe local implications. A joint assessment by the WFP and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has officially re-designated Kenya as a "hunger hotspot" for the first time since 2024. The report, titled "Hunger Hotspots: Early Warnings on Acute Food Insecurity," forecasts a sharp decline in the country's food security from November 2025 through May 2026. Projections indicate that between 3.0 and 3.49 million Kenyans will require humanitarian food assistance during this period, with needs expected to peak between March and May 2026.

The deterioration is driven by a confluence of factors specific to Kenya and the East Africa region. Climate models predict a high probability of a fifth consecutive below-average rainy season, particularly for the crucial October-December 2025 short rains in eastern Kenya. This is expected to cripple both crop and livestock production, the economic backbone for many rural communities. In some marginal agricultural areas like Kitui South, Makueni East, and Tharaka North, crop failures have already reached between 80 and 100 percent. Consequently, pastoral communities in arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) counties—including Turkana, Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir, and Garissa—face the highest risk, with many projected to experience Emergency (IPC Phase 4) levels of food insecurity.

Economic and Social Impacts on Kenyans

The crisis is compounded by severe economic pressures. As of June 2025, national maize prices were 15% higher than the previous year, significantly constraining the purchasing power of households that rely on markets for food. This economic strain is intensifying competition for scarce resources like water and pasture, fueling localized conflict. The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) confirms that widespread Crisis (IPC Phase 3) outcomes are expected to expand across pastoral areas as limited incomes and high food prices persist.

Malnutrition rates are a growing concern. Projections for the period between April 2025 and March 2026 estimate that over 741,000 children under five will be acutely malnourished, with nearly 179,000 of them suffering from severe acute malnutrition. Additionally, over 109,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women will require nutritional support.

The funding shortfalls directly impact WFP's local operations. Kenya hosts over 800,000 refugees, primarily in the Dadaab and Kakuma camps, who are heavily dependent on international aid. Due to budget cuts, WFP has already been forced to repeatedly reduce food rations for refugees, increasing the risk of hunger and malnutrition in the camps. The agency's ability to support both refugees and food-insecure Kenyan citizens through initiatives like the Lisha Jamii programme is under threat, jeopardizing a critical lifeline for millions.

In her statement on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, Executive Director McCain emphasized the urgent need for a renewed global commitment. "We urgently need new funding and unimpeded access – a failure to act now will only drive further instability, migration, and conflict." For the millions of Kenyans now on the frontlines of this crisis, that action cannot come soon enough.