According to the latest projections from the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), the demand for humanitarian food assistance is anticipated to be most acute in several countries, notably Ethiopia, Yemen, Nigeria, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, by August 2024.
FEWS NET predicts that, when measured as a percentage of the total population in each respective country under its monitoring, the highest proportion of people requiring humanitarian food assistance will likely be in South Sudan and Yemen. In these countries, over 50 percent of the population is expected to require food aid. Sudan follows closely, with an anticipated range of 25-49 percent of its population in need of assistance. In Somalia, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, and Haiti, it is expected that 15-24 percent of the population will require food assistance.
The projected total number of individuals in need of assistance across FEWS NET-monitored countries is estimated to be between 120-130 million. Among these, Ethiopia, Yemen, Nigeria, and Sudan are each expected to contribute over 10 percent of the total food assistance needs. The Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan are anticipated to account for 5-9 percent of the total requirements.
Comparing the current projections to those of August the previous year, FEWS NET foresees an increase in the number of people requiring food assistance in Ethiopia, Nigeria, Sudan, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Chad, and Angola. Conversely, there is an expected decrease in Somalia, Kenya, and Malawi. For all other countries, the level of food assistance needs is expected to remain relatively stable compared to the previous year.
