The organization made the call following the release of its Global Outlook 2025 report, which assesses global food security needs.
According to WFP, hunger continues to rise, and 343 million people in 74 countries face severe food insecurity, a 10 percent increase from last year.
This includes the 1.9 million people who are on the brink of famine. Catastrophic conditions of hunger have been recorded in areas such as Gaza, Sudan, South Sudan, Haiti and Mali.
WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain explained the gravity of the situation, saying, “Devastating conflicts, recurring climate disasters and widespread economic disasters have increased humanitarian needs worldwide.
But funding is not enough to keep up with growing demand A funding shortfall in 2024 has forced the World Food Program to scale back its relief efforts, with vulnerable groups often the hardest hit.
Sub-Saharan Africa
In sub-Saharan Africa, where more than 170 million people face severe hunger, half of WFP’s funding for 2025 is allocated to the continent’s needs.
Humanitarian activities in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Sahel, and worsening weather conditions due to El Niño have deepened the crisis due to increasing displacement and reduced access to essential resources.
Severe famine in the Middle East
The Middle East has alarming levels of food insecurity, with areas such as Gaza, Syria and Yemen the worst hit, with 91 percent of the population severely food insecure, and 16 percent facing similar challenges in dire situations in Syria and Yemen, where millions of people are dependent on food aid due to the ongoing conflict.
Climate shocks in the Asia-Pacific region
88 million people in the Asia-Pacific region face hunger as a result of climate-related disasters.
WFP plans to improve social protection systems and advance response to mitigate the impact of this crisis.
Latin America needs urgent help
Latin America and the Caribbean can also have severe effects. With more than 40 million people food insecure and 14.2 million identified as needing immediate assistance, the World Food Program emphasizes supporting social protection programs to build climate resilience in the region and stabilize the situation and prevent further damage.
A global call to action
By 2025, with $16.9 billion in funding, WHO will be able to feed the 123 million people most affected by hunger worldwide.
Cindy McCain said, “At WFP, we strive to make the dream of a world without hunger a reality. “But to reach this goal, we need urgent financial and diplomatic support from the international community to help reverse the rising tide of global demand and build long-term resilience to protect vulnerable communities from food insecurity.”
The organization said that in 2025, the World Health Organization will continue to respond to the specific needs of each country. It will use its capacity and resources to deliver high quality programs.