The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has called on business leaders to invest their knowledge, capabilities, and resources in addressing global hunger. The agency issued this call at the World Economic Forum (WEF26) in Davos, Switzerland.
WFP Makes Urgent Appeal To Business Leaders At Davos
As political, technology, and business leaders gathered at the forum, the WFP in a post urged them to help save lives. It noted that this will help stabilize economies and revitalize communities.
The agency estimates that a staggering 318 million people will face crisis levels of hunger or worse this year. According to a report, hundreds of thousands are already experiencing famine-like conditions.
Furthermore, current forecasts show WFP has secured just under half of its needed $13 billion budget. This funding is essential to reach 110 million people, roughly one-third of those most vulnerable.
This funding gap will force the agency to cut meals, reduce rations, and deepen a hunger crisis that threatens countless lives.
In a statement, Rania Dagash-Kamara, WFP’s Assistant Executive Director for Partnerships and Innovation, noted that the world cannot build stable markets on a foundation of 318 million hungry people.
“Hunger drives displacement, conflict, and instability. These crises not only threaten lives but also disrupt the very markets on which businesses depend,” she said.
“I come to Davos with an intensifying crisis that has a solution,” Dagash-Kamara added. “Invest in the global stability your companies need by supporting our proven ability to reduce hunger on the planet.”
Private Sector Key To Closing Funding Gap
WFP highlighted that the private sector has repeatedly demonstrated it can be a force for good.
In 2025, private sector partners became the second-largest donors to the WFP’s efforts in Palestine. They were also the first to support the agency’s Ukraine response in 2022.
WFP’s message to leaders at #WEF26: invest your knowledge, capabilities and resources in disrupting hunger.
🤝 Together we can save lives, stabilize economies and revitalize the human spirit. ➡️ Read more: https://t.co/BJrTIKmGqj
— World Food Programme (@WFP) January 18, 2026
Additionally, private sector contributions to WFP have exceeded $2 billion since 2020. The agency noted that, at a time of dwindling public resources for humanitarian organizations, private sector funding has never been more critical.
At Davos, WFP is now asking business leaders to help disrupt hunger through concrete actions. Additionally, it urged global leaders to keep hunger and food security as a top-tier priority, noting its direct impact on market stability and workforce productivity.
Furthermore, WFP calls on leaders to invest in supply chain systems that bolster fragile markets and harness their corporate influence and client relationships to fund innovative hunger-fighting programs globally.
