The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) warn that acute food insecurity is likely to deteriorate further in 18 hunger hotspots – comprising a total of 22 countries or territories including 2 regional clusters – during the outlook period from November 2023 to April 2024. Burkina Faso, Mali, South Sudan and the Sudan remain at the highest concern level. Palestine was added to the list of countries/territories of highest concern due to the severe escalation of conflict in October 2023. Urgent and scaled-up assistance is required in all 18 hunger hotspots to protect livelihoods and increase access to food.

People in protracted crises are arguably those whose lives, food security, and livelihoods are most in need of protection in the critical window between an early warning and a shock. This session focuses on how they should be protected by mainstreaming the Anticipatory Action (AA) approach within the humanitarian–development–peace nexus. It builds on the relevant collaboration between FAO and WFP with partners and, in particular, the Anticipating Food Crises workshop in 2022, convened by FAO, WFP and the Global Network Against Food Crises (GNAFC), the conclusions of which were recently published.

This side event of the Committee on Food Security (CFS) aims to present and prioritize conflict-sensitive practical, actionable solutions and innovations along the Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) Nexus that address the multitude of crises while supporting long-term agrifood systems transformation. It will draw from examples from the Horn of Africa (HoA) and South Asia, to formulate key messages on building resilient and sustainable food systems in countries facing multiple crises, thereby informing CFS51 deliberations.