FAO: 45 million people in the region face 'worst food insecurity'

Rome – Agencies: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has warned that more than 45 million people in the occupied Palestinian territories, Lebanon, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen are facing food insecurity at crisis levels or worse. In a statement, the FAO called for urgent investment in emergency agricultural assistance in the Near East and North Africa region, where ongoing conflicts, economic shocks, and climate pressures are exacerbating hunger. It noted that funding gaps are limiting efforts to protect agricultural production and livelihoods in these countries, adding that “repeated shocks are stripping families of their ability to produce food and earn income, at a time when humanitarian resources are becoming increasingly constrained.” The organization emphasized the need for immediate action “before those losses become irreversible,” pointing out that early investment in seeds, livestock, water, and other forms of agricultural support can prevent hunger from worsening and reduce long-term humanitarian needs.

The UN agency reported that 19.5 million people in Sudan are facing high levels of acute food insecurity, noting that it has received only 23% of the $193 million required under its emergency response plan for the period 2026–2028. In Yemen, 18.3 million people are experiencing hunger at crisis levels or worse, but the organization has secured less than 1% of the $87.9 million needed for its 2027 emergency response and resilience-building efforts. The FAO stated that it is seeking $171.5 million to assist 5.2 million people in Syria during 2027, and $140.9 million to provide urgent agricultural assistance and support recovery in Gaza and the West Bank. In Lebanon, the UN agency projected that 1.24 million people will face food insecurity at crisis levels or worse, indicating a need for $38 million to support 35,000 farmers and rural households affected by the conflict.