According to WFP, El Niño could push 49 million more people into hunger.
South Africans are likely to experience rising food prices and an increased risk of drought in the coming two years, as the United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP) has issued a stark warning.
A powerful El Niño weather pattern could lead to a shocking 49 million people worldwide facing acute food insecurity 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.
