US foreign aid cuts have exposed the humanitarian system’s dependence on a small pool of Western donors, particularly the US, which contributed 43% of public humanitarian funding in 2023. This concentration of funding has increased over the past decade and leaves the system vulnerable to disruptions and necessitates reform to prioritize scarce resources effectively.
Food security led by the World Food Programme is particularly vulnerable. In the past, a bipartisan consensus insured U.S. support. That support came in part because food aid benefited U.S. farmers. As of now, the future of the food security program hangs in the balance.
