World

El Niño speeds climate crisis and tests Latin America’s food security

Read full article at source ↗

Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 08/10/2026, 05:15:24 UTC.

Briefings

Latin America faces severe food security risks due to intensifying El Niño, with 25.8% of the global population experiencing moderate or severe hunger in 2025. Experts warn that extreme weather will reduce crop yields for key staples like corn, beans, and coffee, driving up prices and increasing the cost of a healthy diet to nearly five dollars per person daily. Smallholder farming remains critical to food security, yet many families lack the resources to cope with anticipated losses. The region faces a double burden of hunger and obesity, with millions unable to afford nutritious food despite being an exporting region.

Key points

• Latin America experienced 25.8% of the world's population in moderate or severe food insecurity in 2025, with 2.1 billion people affected.
• Smallholder family farming accounts for 80% of food security in Latin American countries, making it the backbone of the food supply system.

Context and limitations

Data reflects 2025 statistics from the World Food Programme; forecasts for 2026 depend on El Niño intensification during the second half of the year. Coverage is limited to Latin America and the Caribbean, with specific regional impacts like droughts in Central America and flooding in Ecuador/Peru noted.

Generated by Bittrees-hosted qwen35-2b sha256:aaf42c8b7c3c on 08/10/2026, 05:50:16 UTC. Based on publisher-provided feed evidence; may not cover the full original article. Check the source for details.

View archived briefing on IPFS
bafybeih7u7sgktypcgh6auwhpff5u363t3lfxaz5n3zy6yh53osz57lnam