Childhood stunting from malnutrition is a global but preventable problem if adequate investment can be found, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Wednesday, amid chronic funding shortages that threaten essential feeding programmes.
Child wasting is the deadliest form of malnutrition and it's often seen in places of conflict, economic instability and climate crisis, the UN agency told aid leaders gathered in Paris for the fourth Nutrition for Growth Summit.
Around 33 million children suffer from wasting in the 15 nations most affected. More than $1 billion is needed to support WFP 's work to combat malnutrition, the agency said.
"We must prevent child malnutrition before it ever takes hold," said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain. "If we fail to act, we are condemning millions of children to a lifetime of suffering. WFP has the knowledge and tools to stop malnutrition in its tracks - what we need is investment and political will."
WFP underscored the need to target pregnant women for additional nutritional support because malnutrition often begins during pregnancy, causing half of all deaths among children under five.
Those who survive face impaired physical and brain development, weakened immune systems, stunted growth and limiting brain development.
Humanitarian success story
In 2024, WFP prevented wasting in nearly 14 million mothers and children by providing fortified foods, nutrition-rich supplements, cash or vouchers for meals and food baskets.
Despite these successes, the global funding crisis for humanitarian and development work threatens initiatives targeting malnutrition.
In Yemen, where up to a third of under-fives suffer from wasting, WFP's only prevention programme implemented in the last 12 months will end in May - unless additional funding is forthcoming.
On the brink of famine
In Sudan, clashes in Zamzam camp, in the North Darfur region, have forced WFP to pause its food assistance for displaced civilians.
Some two million Sundanese are currently experiencing famine - or are on the brink of famine.
Without urgent funding, WFP will be compelled to suspend nutrition assistance in April for another two million, including refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria.
Funding cuts have also had a severe impact on vulnerable populations in hunger-struck Afghanistan , where three out of four families have to borrow money to be able to afford basic groceries.
Ensuring humanitarian access
In Jordan, WFP has already slashed monthly cash assistance by one third for the 119,000 Syrian refugees in the Zaatari and Azraq camps.
Last month in crisis-hit Haiti , one of the poorest countries in the world, WFP said it urgently needed $3.9 to prevent the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) from closing down in the next three months.
The only available aviation support serving the capital Port-au-Prince, the WFP-operated service is crucial in flying in aid workers and delivering supplies to hard-to-reach areas, guaranteeing uninterrupted access for humanitarians.
WFP said that investing in malnutrition prevention not only improves health but also makes economies stronger.
"Low and middle-income countries lose an average of 10 per cent of GDP due to malnutrition through increased healthcare costs and lowered human capital," WFP said in a statement.
