According to Reuters, the current administration’s efforts to reduce and reshape American foreign aid are negatively impacting the global system dedicated to preventing and addressing famine. Even before President Donald Trump’s return to the White House, the international famine monitoring and relief network was struggling to address hunger crises in developing nations. The abrupt halt in U.S. foreign aid has significantly impacted this system.
The spending freeze, initiated by President Trump on January 20, is scheduled to last 90 days as the administration reviews all foreign aid programs. While emergency food assistance is allowed to continue, much of this aid has been temporarily suspended as humanitarian organizations await clarity on which relief efforts are permitted to proceed. Additionally, the closure of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has further complicated the situation.
Approximately 500,000 metric tons of food valued at $340 million is currently in limbo, either in transit or storage, awaiting approval from the U.S. State Department for distribution. Cash assistance that was intended to assist individuals in purchasing food and other essentials in regions like Sudan and Gaza has also been halted. Furthermore, funding for community kitchens in Sudan, which were supported by the U.S., has been affected.
The lack of clear guidance and support from USAID officials, who have been placed on leave, has hindered humanitarian efforts. The shutdown of the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) has left aid organizations without critical information on how to provide relief to affected populations. Additionally, stop-work orders issued to key manufacturers of nutritional supplements have reduced the supply of vital food for malnourished children worldwide.
The impact of these disruptions is significant, as millions of individuals face extreme food shortages that jeopardize their survival. Despite the vital importance of emergency aid for starving children, the uncertainty surrounding USAID’s operations puts countless lives at risk.
As of now, the U.S. State Department has not provided any comments on the matter.
Under immense pressure due to conflict and political instability, the humanitarian situation is dire, as outlined by Reuters in a series of reports last year. The suspension of aid presents a critical challenge for relief organizations striving to alleviate severe hunger. It not only hampers programs designed to prevent widespread starvation but also hinders initiatives aimed at responding to emergencies and saving lives. Approximately 30,000 metric tons of food aid, intended to nourish malnourished individuals in famine-stricken Sudan, is currently stuck in warehouses, risking spoilage, according to two aid workers in the region. This food, including lentils, rice, and wheat, is sufficient to sustain at least 2 million people for a month. However, some items have a short shelf life and may become inedible by the end of the 90-day pause imposed by the Trump administration, one of the workers revealed.
Furthermore, millions of nutrient-rich food packets manufactured by Mana Nutrition and Edesia Nutrition in Rhode Island for U.N. emergency relief efforts in Sudan, Ethiopia, Yemen, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and other regions are also stranded in warehouses. “We are not producing foods that are a luxury but rather necessities akin to penicillin for malnourished children,” stated Navyn Salem, the CEO of Edesia. The potential waste of millions of life-saving food packets is distressing as children continue to suffer the consequences of starvation.
The uncertainty surrounding aid groups’ ability to distribute these crucial food packets persists, with questions looming about eligibility for waivers from the spending freeze and the feasibility of obtaining them in the absence of most USAID staff, who have been placed on leave.
Additionally, the closure of FEWS NET poses a significant threat to the global capacity to forecast, prevent, and address food insecurity crises. Established by the U.S. government in 1985 after devastating famines in Africa, FEWS NET, managed by Chemonics International in Washington, D.C., offers early warnings to U.S. policymakers regarding potential hunger crises necessitating humanitarian intervention. Unlike the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification system (IPC), a U.N.-backed initiative with a consensus-building process that can be influenced by political agendas, FEWS NET operates swiftly and effectively, providing essential data for hunger mitigation efforts. In 2024, FEWS NET generated over 1,000 reports on food insecurity in 34 countries, surpassing the 71 reports published by the IPC in 33 countries.
The implications of FEWS NET’s closure are profound, jeopardizing the world’s ability to address food insecurity and famine crises effectively.
“The initiative’s future remains unclear,” stated Frank Nyakairu, a spokesperson for IPC. Chemonics, the entity managing FEWS NET, was issued a stop-work order by USAID on January 27. Subsequently, two days later, FEWS NET’s website was taken offline, cutting off public access to a multitude of reports funded by American taxpayers.
The discontinuation of FEWS NET is likened to removing the steering wheel from a car, as explained by Andrew Natsios, a professor at Texas A&M University and former head of USAID. Despite the car functioning smoothly, without the steering wheel, its direction becomes uncertain.
FEWS NET has played a crucial role in assessing food insecurity in some of the world’s most severe hunger crises. Serving as a vital source of data for IPC and the global humanitarian network, its reports provided strategic insights into the impact of conflicts and other issues on food insecurity in specific regions. Additionally, it prompted IPC action when the organization’s operations were hindered by political interference.
According to Alex de Waal, the executive director of the World Peace Foundation at Tuft University’s Fletcher School, the elimination of FEWS NET deals a significant blow to the IPC system. The organization’s absence will have far-reaching implications on the monitoring and response to humanitarian crises globally.
In December, Reuters revealed that the Sudanese government manipulated the process to delay an IPC famine determination in Darfur. Despite FEWS NET’s assertion of famine in the region, the IPC’s Famine Review Committee was eventually convened, leading to the acknowledgment of famine in Zamzam, a large camp for internally displaced individuals in North Darfur.
However, FEWS NET’s straightforward assessments have drawn criticism in Washington. A report released in December predicting famine in northern Gaza by early 2025 was met with disapproval from Jack Lew, the former U.S. ambassador to Israel. Following the backlash, FEWS NET retracted the report pending further review.
With the withdrawal of its primary funder, USAID, employees of FEWS NET express skepticism about the organization’s future operations. The demise of FEWS NET leaves a significant void in the monitoring of humanitarian crises, according to Chris Newton, an analyst specializing in early warning and food security at the International Crisis Group.
Newton warns that the lack of FEWS NET’s insights could exacerbate famine in Sudan and other vulnerable regions, potentially leading to the collapse of a network of data providers crucial for understanding global humanitarian risks. As famine resurges globally, it may become increasingly difficult to detect and combat, posing a threat amidst the rise of politicized conflicts.
This comprehensive report was compiled by Jaimi Dowdell in Los Angeles, Lena Masri, and Ryan McNeill in London, Giulia Paravicini in Nairobi, and Nafisa Eltahir in Cairo, with additional contributions from Kaylee Kang and Benjamin Lesser in New York. The editing was overseen by Janet Roberts.
