ROME: El Niño-related hunger risk could push 49 million more people into acute food insecurity by 2027, the UN agency said in its analysis released on August 5.
The estimate covers 45 countries already food-insecure. El Niño could deepen droughts, floods and heat and shift rainfall there.
The assessed total could climb 22%, from about 225 million to 274 million, according to the World Food Programme.
Central America faces the largest proportional increase at 83.1%. Latin America and the Caribbean could record more than 16 million affected people.
Conditions could worsen for more than 18 million people across East and Southern Africa. That represents a 26% increase.
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Asia and the Pacific could add 8.2 million people to the total. West and Central Africa could add almost six million, a 12% rise.
WFP expects El Niño to peak between September and December 2026. Damage to harvests could extend its effects through 2027.
The World Meteorological Organisation expects a strong El Niño to intensify during August–October. Its July 31 outlook forecast sea temperatures 2.9°C above normal in key monitoring areas.
WFP began early-response work in eight countries. Since May, it has activated plans in South Sudan, Chad, Mauritania, Uganda, Guatemala and El Salvador.
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Those measures provided more than $14 million to support 500,000 people. Acting Executive Director Carl Skau said early support could save lives and protect livelihoods.
A separate FAO-WFP appeal seeks $202 million to protect 8.8 million people across 22 countries, including Pakistan.
