FAO and WFP warn on July 29 that hunger could worsen in 13 global hotspots

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Food Programme warned on July 29 that acute hunger is expected to worsen across 13 global food-security hotspots between June and November 2026.

The agencies said conflict, shortages in humanitarian funding and climate shocks are pushing more people toward famine. They called for urgent action to prevent further deterioration, but the warning does not mean that all 13 hotspots are already experiencing famine conditions.

About 266 million people were already facing high levels of acute food insecurity when the warning was issued. That figure is a snapshot of the situation at the time of the assessment, not a forecast of how many people will face hunger by November.

A six-month window for action

The June-through-November period identified by FAO and WFP gives governments, donors and humanitarian organizations a near-term window in which conditions could worsen. The agencies’ appeal is focused on preventing additional movement toward famine rather than waiting for food crises to become more severe.

The warning links the risk to several pressures operating at once. Conflict can displace people and disrupt markets, while funding shortages can limit the reach of food and other humanitarian assistance. Climate shocks can damage production, affect access to food and increase pressure on already vulnerable communities.

That combination matters because the deterioration is not being attributed to a single commodity-price movement. The agencies identified conflict, aid shortfalls and weather-related shocks as major drivers of the outlook.

Prices remain part of the wider pressure

FAO’s food-price data provide broader context, though they do not measure acute hunger directly. The FAO Food Price Index averaged 130.3 points in June 2026, according to the agency. It was down 0.3 percent from May but remained 2.2 percent above its level a year earlier.

FAO said early forecasts pointed to another strong global cereal harvest. At the same time, it warned of risks linked to El Niño, energy costs, fertilizer and geopolitical developments. The mixed picture underscores why a relatively modest monthly movement in a global index does not eliminate food-security risks in conflict-affected or economically strained places.

For households and policymakers, the practical issue is the gap between overall commodity conditions and whether people can actually obtain food. A global index can ease slightly while conflict, displacement, market disruption or income shocks leave particular populations unable to afford or reach food.

Lebanon shows how pressures overlap

Lebanon offers a country-level example of the pressures described in the wider warning. The World Food Programme reported that 1.24 million people in Lebanon faced acute food insecurity between April and August 2026.

In that assessment, WFP identified displacement, rising food and fuel prices, market disruption and broader economic shocks as drivers. The Lebanon figure is not a replacement for the global total and does not establish the condition of each of the 13 hotspots. It illustrates how conflict-related displacement and rising costs can combine to reduce access to food.

What happens next

FAO and WFP are urging urgent action during the identified deterioration window. The next known step is therefore a push for humanitarian funding and preventive measures before conditions move further toward famine.

The source summary does not list all 13 hotspots or provide a revised famine-risk total for each location. Those details will require additional food-security assessments. The agencies’ central message is narrower and immediate: with about 266 million people already facing high acute food insecurity, delays in funding or assistance could leave more people exposed as conflict, climate shocks and other pressures continue through November.