Maung Sar Ga, Narinjara News, 15 March 2025 

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) cautioned on March 14 that significant funding deficits will halt essential food aid for more than one million people in Myanmar beginning in April.

“The forthcoming reductions will severely affect the most vulnerable communities nationwide, many of whom rely solely on WFP’s assistance to live,” stated Michael Dunford, WFP’s Representative and Country Director in Myanmar. 

The WFP's alert arrives as demands for food assistance are rising significantly because of worsening conflict, displacement, and restrictions on access throughout the nation.

Photo by WFP

WFP stated that the reductions will also affect nearly 100,000 internally displaced individuals in central Arakan State who will be unable to access food without WFP support, including Muslim groups in camps. 

A social relief worker in Arakan State told Narinjara News that numerous residents have not gone back to their homes because of continued hostilities. They depend on support from global organizations, and the WFP's reductions might result in hunger for these displaced populations. 

“Numerous individuals will endure hardship due to the WFP reductions. They might even encounter starvation. Even when they attempt to work, there are dangers from landmines in regions where the junta forces were positioned. Individuals are already suffering injuries and fatalities from stepping on landmines. It's unsafe to work, and this may result in famine," the worker stated.

If new funding does not arrive soon, WFP will be capable of helping only 35,000 of the most at-risk individuals, which includes children younger than five, pregnant and breast-feeding women, as well as people with disabilities.

WFP is urgently requesting US$ 60 million to sustain life-saving food aid for the people of Myanmar this year. 

"Immediate funding is essential to keep helping those in need," stated Michael Dunford, WFP's Representative and Country Director in Myanmar. 

As per the Myanmar Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, an alarming 15.2 million individuals in Myanmar cannot fulfill their basic daily food requirements, up from 13.3 million the previous year. Out of these, around 2.3 million individuals are experiencing urgent levels of hunger.