The alert was contained in a joint publication titled
“Hunger Hotspots: FAO/WFP Early Warnings on Acute Food Insecurity,” released by
the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

In the latest assessment, the UN identified Afghanistan, the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Myanmar, Nigeria, Somalia, and Syria as
countries of “very high concern,” while Haiti, Mali, Palestine, South Sudan,
Sudan, and Yemen were placed in the category facing an immediate threat of
catastrophic hunger, corresponding to the highest phase (IPC/CH Phase 5).

According to the report, the main triggers of food
insecurity include armed conflicts, economic instability, and severe weather
conditions. It also noted that dwindling humanitarian funding has intensified
the crisis, leaving millions more vulnerable to starvation.

Additionally, Burkina Faso, Chad, Kenya, and the Rohingya
refugee camps in Bangladesh were singled out as other high-risk zones in need
of urgent international assistance.

The report revealed that, as of October 2025, only $10.5
billion of the required $29 billion for emergency food operations had been
secured. This funding gap has forced aid agencies to implement drastic ration
cuts and suspend essential nutrition and school feeding programs.

FAO further cautioned that without immediate financial
support, essential agricultural aid—including seeds, livestock health
interventions, and early farming assistance—will fail to reach affected
communities in time for the next planting cycle.

FAO Director-General QU Dongyu urged world leaders to
transition from crisis response to long-term prevention strategies. “We must
move from reacting to crises to preventing them. Investing in livelihoods,
resilience, and social protection before hunger peaks will save lives and
resources. Famine prevention is not just a moral duty; it is a smart investment
in long-term peace and stability,” he said.

Similarly, WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain warned that
millions are on the brink of starvation if global action is delayed. “Mothers
are skipping meals so their children can eat. Families are exhausting what
little they have left as they struggle to survive. We urgently need new funding
and unimpeded access. A failure to act now will drive further instability,
migration, and conflict,” she said.

Both agencies jointly appealed for increased global
commitment, enhanced funding for resilience-building, and unrestricted
humanitarian access to conflict-hit regions. They stressed that famine can be
both predicted and prevented, but only with political determination, timely
intervention, and collective global effort.

The Hunger Hotspots report, released twice a year, forms
part of the Global Network Against Food Crises initiative, financially
supported by the European Union, to enhance early warning systems and
coordinated responses to global food emergencies.