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STORY: WFP / DRC HUNGER CRISIS
TRT: 03:11
SOURCE: WFP
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE CREDIT WFP ON SCREEN
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / SWAHILI / NATS
DATELINE: SEE THE SHOTLIST
12 FEBRUARY 2025, KANYARUCHINYA
1. Wide shot, abandoned displaced person’s camp
Across eastern DRC, the demand for emergency assistance is growing by the day. The latest escalation in fighting has deepened the country’s already catastrophic humanitarian crisis and thousands have been forced to return to their home villages. More than half of the returnees have found their homes destroyed by conflicts and over 65 percent have no access to farmland, making it impossible to rebuild their livelihoods.
09 FEBRUARY 2025, RUSAYO
2. Various shots, people newly displaced from Rusayo camp
13 FEBRUARY 2025, GOMA
3. Various shots, people on the side of the road displaced from Bulengo Camp
25 MARCH 2025, MINOVA
4. Various shots, nutrition testing
The red in the armband indicated the child is severely malnourished and should be hospitalized.
New data from the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis reveals the highest number ever recorded of acutely food insecure populations (IPC Phase 3 and above) in the DRC— including 3.9 million people at emergency levels of hunger (IPC Phase 4).
Internally displaced people escaping violence remain among the most vulnerable, bearing the brunt of the worsening food crisis. According to the latest analysis, more than two million displaced people are experiencing acute hunger, with an alarming 738,000 in emergency conditions (IPC Phase 4).
26 MARCH 2025, KINSHASA
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Shelley Thakral, WFP DR Congo Spokesperson:
“2.5 million people have been pushed into acute food insecurity and the needs are growing.
The humanitarian situation in DRC is deteriorating at an alarming rate. Families who were already struggling to feed themselves are now facing an even harsher reality. We have been able to resume operations in North and South Kivu, but we urgently need more resources and more funding.”
25 MARCH 2025, MINOVA
6. Wide shot, WFP food distribution
WFP has resumed operations in parts of North Kivu and South Kivu, but with 4.7 million people across eastern DRC facing emergency hunger, we urgently need unhindered humanitarian access, a cessation of hostilities and immediate funding to scale up lifesaving food assistance, to reach the most vulnerable
13 MARCH 2025, BWEREMANAN
7. SOUNDBITE (Swahili) Bahavu Linda, farmer, lost her home and livestock due to the fighting:
“Peace is the number one priority. Peace would allow us to continue farming, which would allow us to cover our needs.”
25 MARCH 2025, MINOVA
8. Wide shot, WFP food distribution
WFP has resumed operations in parts of North Kivu and South Kivu, but with 4.7 million people across eastern DRC facing emergency hunger, we urgently need unhindered humanitarian access, a cessation of hostilities and immediate funding to scale up lifesaving food assistance, to reach the most vulnerable
01 MARCH 2025, SAKE
9. Various shots, Safi bringing home her ration of WFP food
Safi fled her home in Sake in Febuary 2024 with her 3 daughters when her home was burned during fighting. She has now returned to Sake and living with her mother. She doesn’t know where her husband is. Her sister is carrying her ration of oil, salt, dried yellow peas and maize meal.
10. SOUNDBITE (Swahili) Safi:
“The needs are great. The conflict left many widows. We lost many men or husbands. There needs to be support for widows and orphans. The bombs destroying houses.”
11. Various shots, Safi and her family cooking and eating porridge
Conflict and rising food prices drive Congolese into one of the world’s worst food crises according to new IPC data. An additional 2.5 million people have been pushed into acute food insecurity, as UN agencies grapple with increasing needs. WFP
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today (Mar 27) announced that new data from the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis reveals the highest number ever recorded of acutely food insecure populations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
An alarming 28 million people in DRC are now facing acute hunger (IPC Phase 3 and above) – a number that has grown by 2.5 million since the most recent outbreak of violence in December; included in this group are 3.9 million people who are experiencing emergency levels of hunger (IPC Phase 4).
Over the past six months, a worsening food crisis has been gripping the people of DRC, where conflict, economic instability and surging food prices have put millions at risk.
Internally displaced people escaping violence remain among the most vulnerable, bearing the brunt of the worsening food crisis. According to the latest analysis, more than two million displaced people are experiencing acute hunger, with an alarming 738,000 in emergency conditions (IPC Phase 4).
"The humanitarian situation in the DRC is deteriorating at an alarming rate. Families who were already struggling to feed themselves are now facing an even harsher reality,” said Eric Perdison, WFP’s Regional Director for Southern Africa and ad interim WFP DRC Country Director. “We have resumed operations in parts of North and South Kivu, and we are committed to do more to support those at risk, but we urgently need more resources.”
The situation is particularly dire in the conflict-affected eastern provinces of DRC, where families have lost access to their livestock and livelihoods. More than ten million people are facing acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 and above), including 2.3 million in emergency conditions (IPC Phase 4) in the eastern part of the country.
In North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri, violence has uprooted tens of thousands of people, cutting them off from food supplies and humanitarian assistance. Armed clashes continue to disrupt food production, and trade routes, while humanitarian access remains limited, as security risks hinder the ability to deliver essential assistance.
The sharp depreciation of the Congolese franc, shuttered banks, and lost incomes have made it increasingly difficult for families to afford even the staples. At the same time, inflation and disrupted supply chains have contributed to a rise in food prices. Basic foods such as maize flour, palm oil, and cassava flour are seeing price increases of up to 37 percent compared to pre-crisis levels (December 2024).
WFP and FAO are working together to provide life-saving food and nutrition assistance while strengthening the resilience of vulnerable communities.
To-date this year, 464,000 people have received WFP food, cash for food, and nutrition treatment in accessible areas of eastern DRC; WFP has managed to reach 237,000 people in Bunia alone.
Beyond emergency food assistance in eastern DRC, FAO and WFP have invested in resilience activities in North and South Kivu provinces to build skills and capacity amongst communities to improve their long-term food security.
“The current situation is dire for the population, as harvests are lost, food prices soar, millions of people face acute food insecurity and are increasingly vulnerable,” said Athman Mravili, FAO Representative ad interim. “FAO needs more resources to provide emergency assistance to support sustainable livelihoods for displaced populations. We are aiming to assist 1.6 million people in North and South Kivu, Ituri, and Tanganyika provinces with emergency food production support.”
In 2025, WFP plans to reach 6.4 million people in DRC with food and nutrition assistance while also investing in long-term solutions. US$ 399 million is urgently needed to sustain operations and meet growing humanitarian needs over the next six months.
WFP and FAO call on the international community to step up funding and humanitarian access to prevent a full-scale catastrophe. Without urgent support, hunger levels will continue to rise, pushing the most vulnerable into further destitution.
