The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have sounded the alarm over the worsening hunger crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Millions of people across the country — especially in the eastern provinces — are struggling to access enough food, with the situation expected to get worse if urgent action is not taken.
What’s Happening in DRC?
The DRC is facing one of the world’s largest and most complex hunger crises. Years of armed conflict, insecurity, population displacement, and limited humanitarian access have made it extremely difficult for families to meet their daily food needs.
According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, about 26.6 million people across the country will face serious food insecurity by early 2026. This means that one out of every four people in DRC will struggle to eat enough. Among them, 3.9 million people are already in emergency levels of hunger — a sharp increase from earlier this year.
Hunger Crisis in the Eastern Provinces
The crisis is particularly severe in North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri, and Tanganyika — provinces affected by continuous violence and displacement. Over 10 million people in these areas are expected to experience crisis levels of food insecurity or worse. Among them, 3 million people are already in emergency hunger situations — representing 75% of the total number of people in such dire conditions nationwide.
Many families have lost access to farmland and markets due to ongoing conflict, forcing them to depend on humanitarian aid for survival. Unfortunately, the humanitarian response has been severely limited by funding shortages and security challenges.
Children Are Among the Hardest Hit
The impact on children is heartbreaking. Nearly half of all children under five in DRC — about 3.2 million — are stunted due to chronic undernutrition. This means their growth and development have been seriously affected by long-term lack of proper nutrition.
In provinces such as Ituri, South Kivu, and Tanganyika, poor diets, limited access to healthcare, and frequent disease outbreaks continue to worsen the problem. An ongoing analysis by experts is expected to provide a clearer picture of how severe child malnutrition has become.
FAO’s Role: Helping Families Grow Their Own Food
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is focusing on helping communities rebuild their livelihoods by providing emergency agricultural assistance. According to Athman Mravili, FAO’s Representative ad interim in DRC, “Providing seeds, tools, and training helps vulnerable families grow their own food and earn income. It’s one of the most cost-effective ways to fight hunger and strengthen resilience.”
However, due to limited funding, FAO has only been able to assist 217,000 people out of the 3.6 million planned for 2025. To reach more people in 2026, FAO needs US$127 million to support 2.4 million people with seeds, farming tools, and agricultural training.
WFP’s Role: Delivering Food Assistance to Those Most in Need
The World Food Programme (WFP) is leading the effort to provide emergency food aid in the hardest-hit areas. Unfortunately, limited funding has forced WFP to reduce its assistance significantly. In 2025, WFP planned to support 2.3 million people, but due to funding gaps, it has only been able to reach 600,000 people so far.
WFP’s operations in DRC currently face a US$349 million funding gap through April 2026, and a total pipeline break is expected by February 2026 if no additional funds are received.
Cynthia Jones, WFP’s Acting Country Director in DRC, warned:
“The latest figures make one thing clear: the eastern DRC’s food crisis is escalating. Without urgent resources and action, millions of lives are at risk, and regional stability will suffer. The time to act is now – before the cost becomes irreversible.”
Why This Matters
This crisis goes beyond hunger — it affects peace, health, and the future of millions of people. When families go hungry, they are forced to take desperate measures, such as skipping meals, eating less nutritious food, or selling their last livestock just to survive. Children drop out of school, malnutrition spreads, and communities become more vulnerable to exploitation and violence.
The joint call from WFP and FAO is not only about saving lives — it’s about giving hope and stability to a nation struggling with decades of conflict and poverty.
How the International Community Can Help
Both WFP and FAO are urging donors, governments, and partners to increase funding and support humanitarian efforts in DRC. With more resources, they can:
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Deliver emergency food aid to families facing crisis and emergency hunger.
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Support farmers with seeds, tools, and training to help them grow their own food.
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Improve access to nutrition services for children and mothers.
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Strengthen local food systems for long-term recovery and stability.
Understanding IPC Food Insecurity Levels
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) helps measure the severity of hunger:
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Phase 1 – Minimal: Households can meet essential food and non-food needs.
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Phase 2 – Stressed: Some households have reduced food consumption but can still cope.
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Phase 3 – Crisis: Families face food shortages and may skip meals or sell assets.
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Phase 4 – Emergency: Severe food gaps threaten lives; families resort to extreme coping strategies.
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Phase 5 – Catastrophe/Famine: Complete lack of food and collapse of coping capacity, leading to starvation and death.
The situation in eastern DRC is already between Phase 3 (Crisis) and Phase 4 (Emergency) — a clear signal that urgent humanitarian action is needed.
About FAO and WFP
FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) works to end hunger by transforming agricultural systems to be more efficient, inclusive, and sustainable. FAO focuses on ensuring everyone has access to enough safe and nutritious food for a healthy life.
WFP (World Food Programme) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, providing food assistance to save lives and build resilience in communities affected by conflict, disasters, and climate change.
Together, FAO and WFP continue to stand with the people of DRC — working to ensure that every person has access to food, hope, and a better future.
Conclusion
The hunger crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the most severe in the world today. Millions of people — especially women and children — are trapped in a cycle of hunger and poverty due to conflict, displacement, and lack of resources.
But there is still hope. With strong international support, coordinated action, and investment in both food aid and agriculture, lives can be saved, and communities can rebuild their futures.
As FAO and WFP call for urgent action, the world must listen — and act — before the situation becomes irreversible.
Contacts for Media Inquiries:
FAO DRC
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Hyacine Kacou-Amondji | +243 82 41 58 253 | hyacine.KacouAmondji@fao.org
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Xavier Farhay | +243 81 43 53 728 | xavier.farhay@fao.org
WFP DRC
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Myrline Sanogo Mathieu | +243 99 991 0727 | myrline.sanogomathieu@wfp.org
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Claude Kalinga | +243 818 124 239 | claude.kalinga@wfp.org