FAO and WFP request $202 million to combat El Niño impacts in 22 vulnerable nations

The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have launched an international appeal for US$202 million to protect roughly nine million people in 22 high‑risk countries from the expected effects of the El Niño climate event. The agencies warn that El Niño could bring severe droughts in some regions and heavy rains, floods and crop loss in others, threatening food security across Africa, Asia, the Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean. Existing resources currently cover preventive assistance for 1.2 million people; an additional US$167 million would extend support to another 7.6 million. FAO’s deputy director Beth Bechdol and WFP interim executive director Carl Skau stress that early action is far cheaper than emergency response, estimating that each dollar spent now can avoid up to seven dollars in later losses.

In Paraguay, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) is urging farmers to take measures to safeguard crops as the national meteorological service forecasts the most intense phase of El Niño between spring and summer. Officials warn that heavy rains could damage sowing, reduce product quality and increase the risk of fungal diseases and pest outbreaks, and they recommend preventative steps to limit potential losses.