According to WFP, El Niño could push 49 million more people into hunger.
South Africans could face increased pressure on food prices and a higher risk of drought over the next two years after the United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP) warned that a powerful El Niño weather pattern could push a staggering 49 million people into acute food insecurity globally by the end of 2027.
In a report released on Wednesday, the WFP said there is an 81% chance that a very strong El Niño will develop during the 2026/27 season, potentially making it the strongest event since 1950.
The agency warned that changing rainfall patterns, prolonged droughts and floods could increase the number of people facing crisis-level hunger in 45 vulnerable countries from about 225 million to 274 million.
While South Africa is not among the countries included in the WFP's food insecurity projections, the report identifies Southern Africa as one of the regions expected to experience some of the most severe impacts.
