A recent report by Reuters highlights the impact of the Trump administration’s decision to cut back on American foreign aid, jeopardizing the global system designed to address and prevent famine. The international famine monitoring and relief network, already struggling to address hunger crises in developing nations, has been dealt a severe blow by the sudden halt in U.S. foreign aid.
Following President Donald Trump’s directive to freeze spending on foreign aid programs for 90 days, there has been confusion and uncertainty within humanitarian organizations regarding which relief efforts can continue. While emergency food assistance has been allowed to proceed, many crucial aid initiatives have been put on hold as organizations await clearance from the U.S. State Department.
Compounding the issue, the closure of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has further disrupted relief operations, leaving approximately 500,000 metric tons of food worth $340 million in limbo. Cash assistance programs in Sudan and Gaza, as well as funding for community kitchens in inaccessible areas, have been suspended, impacting vulnerable populations in need of support.
The suspension of programs, lack of clarity on relief efforts, and the shutdown of key entities like the Famine Early Warning Systems Network have left aid organizations without essential guidance on how to address food insecurity and prevent famine. In addition, stop-work orders issued to manufacturers of nutritional supplements have led to a diminished supply of life-saving food for malnourished children worldwide.
The situation is dire, with hundreds of thousands of lives at risk due to the disruption in aid operations. The U.S. government’s role as a significant aid provider is crucial in addressing food shortages and humanitarian crises globally. Despite the pressing need for assistance, the U.S. State Department has yet to respond to inquiries about the impact of these aid cuts.
As conflicts and food shortages continue to push communities into dire circumstances, it is imperative for international aid efforts to be sustained and coordinated effectively. The current pause in U.S. foreign aid threatens the lives and livelihoods of millions of people around the world who are in urgent need of assistance.
Last year, Reuters detailed how conflict and political instability put a tremendous strain on regions around the world. The pause in aid has created a pressing dilemma for humanitarian organizations striving to alleviate severe hunger. It not only hampers programs aimed at preventing mass starvation but also impedes the efforts to respond to crises and save lives. In Sudan, for instance, nearly 30,000 metric tons of food destined for acutely malnourished individuals are stranded in warehouses, risking spoilage. The stock includes lentils, rice, and wheat, sufficient to sustain over 2 million people for a month. Some of these items have a short shelf life and will likely become inedible during the 90-day aid freeze. Additionally, crucial nutrient-rich food packets from Mana Nutrition and Edesia Nutrition, intended for emergency relief in various countries, are also stuck awaiting distribution. The CEO of Edesia emphasized the critical nature of this food in saving the lives of malnourished children, stressing the urgency to act as children face starvation.
There is widespread confusion among aid groups regarding the authorization to continue distributing these vital food packets due to the uncertainty surrounding waivers from the spending freeze. With most USAID staff on leave, obtaining clarity on relief programs eligible for exemptions remains a challenge. The absence of FEWS NET, a crucial early warning system established by the U.S. government in response to past famines, poses a long-term threat to the global capacity to predict, prevent, and address food insecurity crises. Managed by Chemonics International, FEWS NET provides essential reports on food security, aiding decision-making on food aid distribution by USAID and humanitarian organizations. This closure jeopardizes the ability to effectively combat hunger crises and could leave vulnerable populations without timely assistance. The absence of FEWS NET creates a significant void in the fight against hunger, as it has been instrumental in providing critical information and insights to combat food insecurity worldwide.
Frank Nyakairu, a spokesman for IPC, expressed uncertainty regarding the situation, mentioning that details “remain unclear.” On January 27, USAID issued a stop-work order to Chemonics, the entity overseeing FEWS NET. Shortly after, FEWS NET’s website was taken offline, cutting off public access to a trove of reports funded by U.S. taxpayers.
Andrew Natsios, a former head of USAID and current professor at Texas A&M University, likened the shutdown of FEWS NET to removing a car’s steering wheel – even if the vehicle is operating smoothly, without direction, it is impossible to know its destination. FEWS NET has played a vital role in evaluating food insecurity across some of the world’s most severe hunger crises, providing essential data to the IPC and the broader humanitarian network. Its reports offer critical insights into how factors like conflict impact food insecurity in specific regions and have spurred action when political considerations stymied the IPC’s operations.
Alex de Waal, the executive director of the World Peace Foundation at Tuft University’s Fletcher School, emphasized the pivotal role of FEWS NET within the IPC system, describing its loss as a major setback. The organization’s advocacy for prompt famine assessments in regions like Darfur, where political interference delayed crucial determinations, highlights its commitment to impartial reporting.
However, FEWS NET’s candid evaluations have not always been well-received, particularly in Washington. A report forecasting famine in northern Gaza by early 2025 drew criticism from Jack Lew, the former U.S. ambassador to Israel, who deemed it “irresponsible.” Despite subsequent reassessments, the incident underscored the contentious nature of FEWS NET’s work and its implications for political sensitivities.
The dissolution of USAID, FEWS NET’s primary supporter, has cast a shadow of doubt over the organization’s future. Employees express little hope for a revival of operations, lamenting the widespread implications of its apparent demise. Chris Newton, an expert in early warning systems at the International Crisis Group, bemoans the loss of FEWS NET as a substantial blow to humanitarian crisis reporting. The absence of this critical data source, he warns, jeopardizes efforts to combat famine in Sudan and other vulnerable regions, potentially unraveling an interconnected network of vital information providers crucial for assessing global humanitarian risks.
Newton foresees a resurgence of famine on the global stage, propelled by a lack of visibility and the weaponization of food insecurity in conflicts and political maneuvers. As the world turns increasingly blind to these crises, the absence of FEWS NET’s insights may exacerbate their prevalence and impact, eroding progress made in combating widespread hunger.
The 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. Janet Roberts oversaw the editing
