Pakistan faces severe food insecurity as climate and economic pressures mount

Action Against Hunger’s "Ten Largest Global Food Crises" study identifies Pakistan as one of the ten countries bearing the greatest burden of hunger, with an estimated 10.6 million people projected to require humanitarian assistance in 2026. The paper links the crisis to a mix of climate shocks—such as floods, droughts, heatwaves and glacial lake outburst floods—and deepening economic hardship, including high food inflation and limited employment.

As incomes fall, vulnerable households are resorting to coping mechanisms like reducing food intake, selling productive assets and withdrawing children from school, which could entrench poverty and undermine nutrition and education. Limited access to health, nutrition, clean water and sanitation services further compounds the problem, especially in rural and disaster-hit districts. Seasonal challenges, notably the lean period from December 2025 to March 2026, are expected to intensify food shortages, while localized insecurity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan hampers market access and aid delivery.