© WFP/I. Nduwayezu El Niño can cause both severe droughts and floods. Anticipating El Niño: UN agencies urge to protect 8.8 million people from extreme weather events Climate and Environment
$202 million is needed to protect the nearly 9 million people in 22 countries who could be affected by the powerful climate phenomenon El Niño. This was stated by representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Program (WFP).
They issued a joint appeal to the international community for the necessary funds to be made available as soon as possible before the effects of El Niño undermine agricultural production in the poorest regions of the planet. For others, on the contrary, the risk of flooding will increase due to heavy rainfall. This could disrupt planting campaigns, destroy crops, and deplete pastures and water resources.
A strong El Niño is expected to increase the likelihood of droughts, floods and storms in parts of Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean in the second half of 2026.
At the same time, millions of people are already suffering from acute food insecurity caused by armed conflict, economic instability, forced displacement and economic shocks. El Niño. An additional investment of $167 million will allow agencies to rapidly expand support to reach an additional 7.6 million people.
Proactive measures are not only highly effective, but also cost-effective, FAO and WFP say. Every dollar invested in “preventive response” can save up to $7 in disaster response costs.
“Experience has consistently proven that early action is much more effective and significantly less expensive than responding to an already established crisis,” said FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol.
“We have the data, tools and evidence base to recognize risks before they become emergencies. The main challenge is to secure timely funding,” she added. “With the right funding, we can move faster, cut costs and get to the aid of people before the situation breaks out of control,” he said.
The funds allocated will fund a set of proven proactive measures, tailored to local conditions. These include direct cash assistance, provision of seeds for drought-resistant and moisture-loving crops, measures to protect and vaccinate livestock, the creation of water collection and storage systems and the construction of flood control structures. Kenya, Sudan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Venezuela, Guatemala, Honduras and Colombia.
They were selected based on a comprehensive risk analysis (taking into account weather forecasts for El Niño and its possible consequences), historical weather conditions, agricultural calendars, current levels of food shortages and operational readiness for places.