ROME, Italy – The United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP), the world’s largest humanitarian agency tackling global food insecurity, has received a much-needed $800 million injection from the United States, the organization announced Wednesday. The new funding comes after the agency faced crippling funding reductions from major Western donors including both Europe and the U.S. that left it struggling to meet surging global demand for food assistance.
In an official statement, the WFP confirmed the fresh contribution will enable the organization to maintain life-saving food and nutrition support operations that will reach over 38 million vulnerable people spread across at least 37 countries.
Earlier this month, the Rome-based global aid body warned it was confronting a catastrophic funding gap just as global need for emergency food assistance hits record highs. Data from the agency shows total contributions dropped sharply from $10 billion in 2023 to just $6 billion in 2024, a 40% decline that stretched its operational capacity to breaking point.
The funding crunch has unfolded against a backdrop of cascading global crises that have drastically increased both the scale of need and the cost of delivering aid. In particular, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has created new logistical disruptions that have pushed up delivery costs for aid missions across multiple regions, straining already stretched budgets.
Carl Skau, WFP Acting Executive Director, emphasized the timeliness of the U.S. contribution, noting that “at a time when needs are outpacing resources, this generous support from the United States is coming at a critical moment.”
Looking ahead, the WFP has set a target to reach 110 million people facing acute food insecurity around the world in 2025. To meet that ambitious, life-saving goal, the agency estimates it will require a total of $13 billion in total contributions – a target that remains far out of reach despite the new $800 million commitment.