As Myanmar marks one year since the devastating earthquake last March, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warns that recovery is being threatened by new global shocks. Rising fuel, food, and fertilizer prices linked to the ongoing Middle East crisis are pushing vulnerable families closer to hunger. WFP monitoring shows that in Sagaing and Mandalay, one in six households continues to face moderate to severe food insecurity, while half of all families remain only marginally food secure, unable to absorb even small shocks.
The Middle East conflict is disrupting transportation and driving fuel shortages in Myanmar, increasing the cost of moving food and agricultural goods. Farmers preparing for monsoon crops face rising input costs, with fertilizer prices expected to double compared to last year, further threatening food production. Conflict- and earthquake-affected regions such as Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Rakhine, Sagaing, and Shan are expected to be hit hardest, exacerbating food insecurity in a country where 12.4 million people—nearly a quarter of the population—already face acute hunger.
Over the past year, WFP has reached half a million earthquake survivors with relief and recovery support, transitioning from emergency aid to restoring community infrastructure to provide long-term stability. For 2026, WFP requires USD 150 million to assist 1.5 million people with life-saving and resilience support. Without adequate funding, recovery efforts may need to be scaled back, focusing only on the most urgent needs.
Michael Dunford, WFP Country Director in Myanmar, emphasized that the population has endured consecutive shocks—from conflict and climate disasters to the earthquake and now global fuel crises—and urged urgent support to prevent another setback for survivors still rebuilding their lives. The WFP continues to use food assistance to support recovery, resilience, and long-term stability across Myanmar.
