Dhaka reports deterioration in food security conditions

Now, a new report on global food crisis is highlighting vulnerabilities in several countries that are bearing the brunt of a hunger crisis, claiming that acute hunger has doubled over the past decade and is now affecting 266 million people across 47 nations. According to the mid-year update of the 2026 global report on the food crisis, about 177 million people are facing acute hunger in just 10 countries and those are Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Yemen, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Pakistan, South Sudan and Syria. The report also highlights a severe food crisis in Pakistan claiming that an estimated 10.6 million people in the South Asian country will require humanitarian assistance in 2026 despite ongoing recovery efforts in some macroeconomic indicators. According to the report, Islamabad experienced a deterioration in nutritional conditions moving from a nutrition concern to a severe nutrition crisis. From April to September 2026, 45 districts of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces reported high levels of acute malnutrition. Bangladesh is another major concern. The Mid-Year Update reports a deterioration in food security conditions in the country. As millions across the world's food crisis hotspots continue to face severe shortages and limited access to nutritious food. So over the next six, nine months, we will see continued increases related to food prices, but also I would say even inflation in terms of food, which will impact most of the populations that actually can afford it less. What we are seeing globally, too, is that almost one in three people in the world cannot afford a healthy diet. The report warns that rising poverty, conflict, extreme weather, high food and agricultural input costs, as well as declining humanitarian funding, could worsen conditions further. A strengthening El Nino event could bring additional climate-related shocks, putting pressure on agriculture, food supplies and livelihoods. The consequences extend beyond an empty plate, from worsening nutrition to children's development and households' ability to recover from economic shocks. The report is urging related authorities to address the economic and structural vulnerabilities that keep families at risk of hunger.