The World Food Programme (WFP) has released the WFP 2025 Global Outlook report, which projects a challenging scenario for food security next year, especially in Latin American countries. The document points out that humanitarian crises will continue to be driven by interconnected factors such as climate change, economic shocks and prolonged conflicts.
In November 2024, 343 million people were identified as being acutely food insecure in 74 countries where the WFP works and where data is available. The updated report, which shows that the figure now stands at 319 million people facing hunger in 67 countries, unfortunately does not reflect a real drop in hunger levels, as it is mainly due to the lack of updated data in seven countries. The number of acutely food insecure people is almost 200 million above pre-pandemic levels and immediate assistance is needed for 44.4 million people.
The year 2025 is expected to continue to be marked by alarming levels of hunger in several countries. In Sudan, famine is already a reality. In Gaza, it is imminent, with conditions expected to deteriorate further amid ongoing violence and severe restrictions on humanitarian access.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, the most unequal region in the world, 40.8 million people are experiencing acute food insecurity. The WFP identifies 14.2 million people who should be prioritised for assistance based on their operational capacity. The region faces a complex set of crises, including income inequality, limited access to land and scarce employment opportunities, which converge to worsen hunger and malnutrition, as well as being highly vulnerable to climate change.
In 2025, WFP in Latin America and the Caribbean will continue to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance, while expanding its resilience-focused programmes. Leveraging its logistics and on-the-ground presence, WFP will provide targeted support to vulnerable populations and scale up interventions to strengthen food systems, climate resilience and social protection through strategic partnerships.
The WFP needs $5.7 billion in funding for the rest of 2025, with 75 per cent going to crisis and emergency responses, 22 per cent to building resilience and 3 per cent to tackling the roots of hunger. With current funding levels, the WFP plans to reach 98 million people by 2025. For Latin America and the Caribbean, the budget is US$1.1 billion.