A crucial United States-run monitoring system, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), designed to detect food crises prior to their escalation into famines, has effectively ceased operations following the substantial cuts to foreign aid enacted by the Trump administration. This monitoring initiative, managed by Chemonics International and funded by USAID, employs researchers both domestically and internationally to project potential food insecurity in over 30 nations, measuring drought conditions, crop yield, food pricing, and other essential indicators that influence food security.
Unfortunately, under the Trump administration’s policies aimed at reducing the efficiency and footprint of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), aid to crucial programs such as FEWS NET has been significantly cut.
Tanya Boudreau, the project’s former manager, expressed that the cessation of funding interrupts timely interventions in some of the world’s most acutely food insecure regions including Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Ethiopia, and Afghanistan. Currently, FEWS NET has no operational funds, resulting in staff layoffs both in Washington and on the ground, and the complete shutdown of its website, an essential resource for global food security research and analysis.
“You need to get your planning in place well in advance to avert the worst outcomes,” Boudreau remarked, emphasizing that delays in intervention can dramatically increase humanitarian costs and intensify the suffering of impacted populations. While USAID has indicated that a humanitarian waiver would apply to FEWS NET, the precise activities and timelines for resuming operations remain uncertain.
This situation has dire implications not just for the U.S. government, but also for international humanitarian efforts, particularly as other global food security assessment mechanisms like the IPC struggle to cover the analytical depth that FEWS NET offered routinely. Food security expert Daniel Maxwell warned that without FEWS NET’s data, it becomes difficult to determine the locations of greatest need for food assistance, risking the effectiveness of ongoing humanitarian efforts.
The implications extend beyond immediate food security concerns. As FEWS NET was established post the 1984 Ethiopian famine that resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives, the shutdown signals a retreat from a decade-spanning commitment to research and data that has historically informed international response strategies. Experts highlight the importance of maintaining such critical data accessibility since various regions—including those in Africa—had relied heavily on it to inform decisions on food and water security.
The decision to dismantle this vital system raises substantial questions about commitment to global humanitarian assistance and begs a reconsideration of priorities. As Maxwell noted, the absence of FEWS NET will soon be acutely felt in the humanitarian community, raising the stakes for both lives and livelihoods dependent on timely food security interventions.