El Niño is worsening global food security by disrupting harvests, raising prices and increasing hunger risks, an IMF official warned. Climate finance is seen as key to resilience.
El Niño is pushing global food security in the wrong direction, helping drive up prices and leaving more people at risk of hunger, a senior International Monetary Fund official said at a gathering in Thailand.
Speaking in Bangkok, the IMF director pointed to the current El Niño weather pattern as an important factor behind worsening conditions in food markets. El Niño, which alters rainfall and temperature patterns across many regions, has been linked to drought in parts of Asia and elsewhere—shocks that can reduce crop yields, strain water supplies, and disrupt supply chains. Those pressures, the official said, are feeding into higher food costs and deepening food insecurity worldwide.
The warning comes as climate-related stresses increasingly collide with fragile economic conditions in many lower-income countries, where households spend a large share of their income on staples and governments have limited fiscal space to cushion price spikes. When harvests fall or imports become more expensive, families can face immediate hardship, while public budgets are forced to stretch further to fund subsidies, emergency food programs, or disaster relief.
Other participants at the Thailand meeting emphasized that financial support tailored to climate risks will be crucial for countries on the front lines. They argued that “climate finance”—funding intended to help nations adapt to climate impacts and build resilience—should play a central role in protecting vulnerable communities from the cascading effects of extreme weather on agriculture and food availability.
A vivid illustration of these pressures could be seen in Indonesia’s West Java province, where the Jatigede Reservoir was pictured during drought conditions on Oct. 1. Dwindling water levels can threaten irrigation for farms and reduce the reliability of water resources for surrounding areas, underscoring how quickly weather anomalies can translate into risks for food production.
The IMF’s message reflects a broader concern among global economic institutions: climate variability is no longer an occasional disruption but a recurring source of inflationary pressure and humanitarian risk. As El Niño persists, policymakers and aid providers are watching for further impacts on harvests, commodity prices, and the ability of import-dependent countries to secure affordable supplies.
Why it matters
Higher food prices hit poorest households first and hardest, and climate-driven crop shocks can rapidly turn economic stress into hunger. If climate finance mechanisms expand and become easier to access, vulnerable countries may be better able to invest in drought resilience, irrigation, and safety nets before crises escalate. The next key test will be whether funding commitments translate into timely support as El Niño-related disruptions continue to unfold.