Nearly 50 million more people in highly vulnerable communities globally are set to be pushed into acute hunger because of the strengthening El Niño weather phenomenon, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Wednesday.

In response, the agency and partners are already boosting efforts in eight countries to protect some of the most vulnerable communities who are already struggling with poverty, conflict, joblessness and repeated climate extremes.

Priorities include preparing for floods, droughts and storms before they hit.     

“El Niño is a massive threat to the food security of millions who are already vulnerable,” said Carl Skau, WFP’s Acting Executive Director. “The sooner we help families to prepare for these climate shocks, the greater our ability to save lives and protect livelihoods.”

Acute hunger refers to people who are unable to meet their daily food needs. 

WFP noted that the 2015-2016 El Niño impacted the food security of 60 to 100 million people. Early projections indicate that the 2026-2027 El Niño could push at least 49 million more people into acute food insecurity by the end of next year.

After analysing 45 countries already considered food insecure – and where El Niño will significantly influence rainfall patterns, temperatures, floods and droughts – the agency expects the total number of acutely food-insecure people to rise from 225 million to 274 million people, an increase of approximately 22 per cent. 

Parts of Central America and southern Africa are expected to bear the brunt of climate extremes, although significant impacts are also forecast in eastern Africa and South and Southeast Asia.

WFP stressed the variety of El Niño’s impact: “Some countries are already experiencing below-average rainfall, flooding and unusually hot temperatures, while others are expected to face deteriorating conditions during upcoming planting seasons and harvests.”