By Abdullahi Lukman
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that the strengthening El Niño phenomenon could push atleast 49 million additional people into acute food insecurity by the end of 2027, urging world leaders to increaseinvestment in early action and disaster preparedness.
In a warning issued as the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) begins on Monday , WFP said humanitarianassistance alone would not be sufficient to address the growing threat posed by recurrent extreme weather events. It calledfor innovative financing mechanisms to help vulnerable communities prepare for climate-related disasters before theydevelop into hunger emergencies.
According to WFP projections, El Niño is expected to reach peak intensity between October and December 2026.However, its effects on agricultural production, planting seasons, harvests and food prices could persist into early 2028.
The organisation identified several regions already facing climate-related threats.
These include drought conditions inCentral America’s Dry Corridor, parts of the Sahel and East Africa, as well as potential drought in Southern Africa.Meanwhile, heavy rainfall and flooding are expected to pose risks to the Horn of Africa and parts of South America.
WFP Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, Carl Skau, said repeated floods, droughts and storms wereleaving vulnerable households with insufficient time to recover before another crisis occurs.
He stressed that the predictability of El Niño provides an opportunity for governments and humanitarian organisations toact early, protect livelihoods and prevent crop losses before they translate into widespread hunger.
Skau urged leaders attending COP31 to turn this opportunity into faster and more accessible funding for countries andcommunities most exposed to climate-related disasters.
WFP said it is already using anticipatory action, insurance and contingency financing to provide assistance before orimmediately after emergencies.
Between January and September, the organisation reached 4.9 million people with earlywarnings and supported more than 1.5 million people ahead of anticipated floods, storms and droughts, using US$46.2million in pre-arranged funding.
The agency is also collaborating with other United Nations organisations at COP31 to expand pre-arranged financing,improve coordination and ensure available humanitarian resources are used more effectively.
However, WFP noted that such financing mechanisms remain significantly underfunded, accounting for less than two percent of global humanitarian financing.
To address the growing climate and hunger risks, WFP is urging COP31 leaders to expand predictable financing that canbe released before disasters escalate, improve access to funding for fragile and conflict-affected countries, and invest innationally led early warning systems, anticipatory action, disaster risk management and social protection programmes thatrespond to climate shocks.
The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organisation, providing emergency food assistance andsupporting communities affected by conflict, disasters and extreme weather while promoting long-term stability andrecovery.
