WFP calls for support to build resilient communities in the Central African Republic as millions set to face hunger in 2025
The situation is set to worsen between April and August next year, with 2.3 million people (35 percent of the population) expected to face acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or worse) without adequate humanitarian assistance, including 431,000 people facing emergency levels of hunger (IPC Phase 4).
“The Central African Republic is facing a humanitarian crisis that for too long has been ignored. Now is the time to bolster our support to crisis-affected families while investing in long-term solutions," said Aline Samu, WFP’s Deputy Country Director in CAR.
"WFP is committed to building resilient communities through initiatives that strengthen access to agricultural assets and basic social services. The homegrown school feeding programme is a great example of a government-led programme that boosts food production and provides nutritious meals to children, helping them learn and grow in school."
Food insecurity in CAR is driven by widespread poverty, climate shocks, and decades of armed conflict and violence that have uprooted millions from their homes and farms, disrupting supply chains and basic social services, while increasing food and fuel costs. Despite a relative seasonal improvement in agricultural production and food prices compared to 2023, the food security situation remains critical in the country, while funding available to respond to the needs continues to dwindle.
The December 2024 IPC reveals that the most food insecure populations include casual laborers, internally displaced persons, and poor urban families who rely on the market for their food needs. The sub-prefectures of Bambouti, Djema, and Mboki (Haut Mbomou) are classified in emergency food insecurity (IPC Phase 4) and require immediate lifesaving support including emergency food assistance, and malnutrition prevention programmes targeting children under 5, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers.
The report also recommends livelihood support - including the provision of agricultural assets, community resilience building, improved access to water and hygiene, and social safety nets such as homegrown school feeding.
Under the leadership of the Government, WFP has been providing school meals to 170,000 children throughout the country using either cash or imported food. The programme has helped schoolchildren and teachers focus better in class, while providing a vital safety net for crisis-affected families. WFP also addresses the root causes of hunger and vulnerability by strengthening systems and boosting the capacity to both prevent - and build resilience to - future shocks.
WFP also provides lifesaving food and nutrition assistance to ensure crisis-affected populations including Sudanese refugees, IDPs, and returnees are able to meet their food and nutrition needs. To continue providing life-saving and life-changing food and nutrition assistance in the Central African Republic through May 2025, WFP requires US$ 59.6 million.
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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
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