The world is staring at a “terrible, terrible prospect” as the ongoing conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran threatens to push global hunger levels to an “all-time record”, the World Food Programme (WFP) has warned.ย According to the UN agency, a combination of extreme weather, conflicts and famine-like conditions has already left nearly 320 million people “acutely food insecure” across the world. The situation is now worsening as the war enters its third week, triggering “shockwaves on food and fuel costs” globally.
War driving food prices beyond reach
Officials cautioned that rising economic disruptions could soon “price families out of staple foods far beyond the region” directly affected by the conflict. Speaking in Geneva, WFP Deputy Executive Director Carl Skau said, “The escalating humanitarian fallout from the conflict in the Middle East is growing more concerning by the day.” He added that if the conflict continues through June and oil prices remain above USD 100 per barrel, “an additional 45 million people could be pushed into acute hunger by price rises.”
Vulnerable populations at highest risk
Skau stressed that the crisis is hitting the poorest communities the hardest. He said the current situation is โtaking this to a whole other level,โ with the most vulnerable populations already living in dire conditions unable to absorb further increases in living costs.ย “These populations do not have the margins to cope with a new jump in living costs,” he noted.
Conflict timeline and expanding impact
The conflict began on February 28 following military action by the United States and Israel against Iran. The situation quickly escalated as Tehran launched retaliatory strikes on targets in Israel and Gulf countries, eventually pulling Lebanon into the conflict through Iran-backed Hezbollah. The WFP is currently providing “hot meals and bread to tens of thousands of people” in Lebanon and is urgently seeking USD 77 million to sustain operations over the next three months.
Funding cuts add to humanitarian strain
Even before the war, the agency was battling what Skau described as a “perfect storm.” He said, “Hunger has never been as severe as now,โ highlighting a threefold rise in acute food insecurity over the past five years. Despite growing needs, the WFP faced a 40 per cent reduction in resources last year due to declining international funding. “We are basically stretched to the limit,” Skau said, adding that the war is making relief operations “much, much more expensive.”
Rising costs and supply chain disruptions
The crisis has driven up fuel and transportation costs significantly. The agency is dealing with “soaring fuel prices and longer supply chain routes”, with shipping costs rising by 18 per cent and transport operations becoming costlier. Disruptions to fertiliser exports through the Strait of Hormuz have also raised concerns for countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including Somalia and Kenya, especially as they approach key planting seasons.
Severe crisis in conflict-hit regions
In Somalia, the situation is nearing famine levels. “In Somalia, we have clear indications that we are heading into a famine: we have two consecutive droughts,” Skau said, adding that the WFP is struggling to support 700,000 people due to funding shortages.
The agency has also been forced to cut food rations in famine-hit Sudan. In Afghanistan, described as facing the world’s worst malnutrition crisis, only one in four malnourished children is receiving assistance. “People are dying in Afghanistan due to the lack of assistance,” he added.ย Issuing a final appeal, Skau urged the international community to step up support and “make more humanitarian resources available” to prevent a worsening global catastrophe.
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