By Ebi Kesiena
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that 58 million people are at risk of extreme hunger or starvation unless urgent funding for food aid is secured. The Rome-based agency revealed that donations in 2025 have fallen by 40% compared to the previous year, jeopardising feeding programmes in 28 crisis zones, including Gaza, Sudan, Syria, and Congo.
WFP Assistant Executive Director for Partnerships and Innovation, Rania Dagash-Kamara, highlighted the severity of the situation on Friday, noting that WFP is prioritising the hardest-hit regions and stretching food rations. However, she cautioned that the agency is “approaching a funding cliff with life-threatening consequences.”
The WFP reports that 343 million people worldwide are facing severe food insecurity due to conflict, economic instability, and climate change. The agency aims to assist 123 million of them in 2025, nearly half of whom risk losing critical food support.
According to WFP’s website, the agency received just $1.57 billion in funding as of March 2025, a stark contrast to the $9.75 billion received in 2024—already far short of the $21.1 billion target. While WFP did not single out specific countries for reduced contributions, the United States, historically the largest donor, has provided less than 10% of its 2024 contribution so far.
The WFP urgently requires $2.49 billion to sustain emergency relief efforts in Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, Myanmar, Haiti, the Sahel, and the Lake Chad Basin. Earlier this month, it announced programme cuts in Southern Africa and warned that child malnutrition prevention efforts in Yemen, Afghanistan, and Syria may be suspended if funding is not secured.
