Context At the end of 2022, nearly 1 million people faced starvation – almost double the numbers of 2021. Across the world, 222 million people are experiencing high acute food insecurity, almost one in five of whom are struggling to access enough food to survive the day.

Food security outlook The food security outlook for 2023 is alarming and projections indicate the situation may deteriorate further, compounded by early projections of an El Niño event in the second half of the year. The war in Ukraine continues to aggravate economic turbulence, while climate extremes increasingly drive acute food insecurity and famine risks. Combined with intensifying conflicts, and sudden shocks like the earthquake in Türkiye and the Syrian Arab Republic, never before has there been such urgency to step up prevention and anticipation. As of January 2023, six countries already have populations projected in Catastrophe (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification [IPC]/Cadre Harmonisé [CH] Phase 5), with around 815 000 people projected to face Catastrophe (IPC/CH Phase 5) – the large majority in Somalia. In other words, facing an immediate threat of starvation.