Over 28 million people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are currently not getting enough to eat, and this figure is projected to increase in the coming months, according to the latest alert from the IPC global food security monitor. The DRC food security crisis continues to worsen due to persistent armed conflict in the eastern regions, widespread displacement, an expanding Ebola outbreak, economic shocks, and the potential impacts of the El Niño weather pattern. The IPC, a UN-backed platform, evaluates food severity using a five-phase scale where level 5 indicates famine. Approximately 28.8 million individuals, representing 23 per cent of the analyzed population, are forecasted to experience high levels of acute food insecurity at IPC Phase 3 or above through December. Furthermore, more than 3.6 million people are facing emergency conditions classified as IPC Phase 4.
Worsening Conditions in Eastern Provinces
The alert, which spans from September 2026 through next June, was published as a record Ebola outbreak enters its sixth month with more than 10,000 cases recorded. The health emergency initially emerged in Ituri province within the volatile eastern area—where armed groups have terrorized populations for decades—and has since expanded to eight provinces across the nation. While the national proportion of the population in Phase 3 or higher is only marginally higher than the previous analysis, conditions have deteriorated more markedly in the northeastern and eastern provinces. North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri remain the hardest-hit regions, accounting for 10.4 million people in Phase 3 or above, while four specific territories within them—Djugu, Fizi, Shabunda, and Walungu—are officially classified in Phase 4. Among the most vulnerable groups affected by these overlapping crises are displaced persons, returnees, refugees, and poor households whose livelihoods and market access have been severely disrupted by ongoing violence.
Deteriorating Outlook and Future Projections
The IPC anticipates that food security conditions will worsen slightly between January and June, projecting that approximately 30.3 million people will face Phase 3 or above. This total includes 4.2 million individuals who are likely to experience emergency Phase 4 conditions. The expected increase in acute food insecurity will be driven by ongoing conflict and displacement, the continued spread of Ebola, and the anticipated impacts of El Niño, including severe flooding that threatens agricultural production and market access. Additional compounding pressures involve rising costs for food, fuel, and agricultural inputs, alongside a decline in humanitarian assistance. As Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo surpass the 10,000 threshold, the World Health Organization has stressed the urgent necessity for sustained efforts to contain the transmission of the disease.
Source: Cosmo News Desk
