The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed a contribution of USD 713,333 (393.6 million FCFA) from the Government of Japan to deliver urgent food assistance to 22,600 vulnerable people in Cameroon’s Far North and Adamawa regions, according to a press release issued on 30 April 2026. The funding arrives as worsening food insecurity and severe shortfalls threaten to leave nearly 600,000 people without life-saving support. It comes ahead of the lean season, when humanitarian needs are expected to peak. The announcement was made in Yaoundé, Cameroon. It underscores continued Japanese engagement in the country’s humanitarian response.
Cameroon continues to face overlapping pressures that drive acute hunger, including high food prices, insecurity, and climate shocks. An estimated 2.9 million people in Cameroon are facing acute food insecurity between June and August. Among them, 249,000 are facing emergency levels of food insecurity. Over 82 percent of those affected are concentrated in the Far North, East, Adamawa, North, Northwest, and Southwest regions. The country is also dealing with one of the world’s most neglected displacement crises.
In 2026, funding shortfalls have already forced WFP to reduce the number of people targeted for assistance by more than 35 percent. The humanitarian response remains severely constrained by chronic underfunding. WFP requires an additional USD 40.4 million to sustain operations in Cameroon over the next six months. Without this funding, there may be breaks in emergency food assistance during the lean season. Household food stocks are typically depleted during this period, and disease risks increase.
“Japan’s contribution comes at a decisive moment,” said Gianluca Ferrera, WFP Representative and Country Director in Cameroon. “Food insecurity is rising. Climate shocks are intensifying. Families displaced by conflict are exhausting every coping mechanism. This support allows us to act now and protect the most vulnerable as we approach the lean season, when needs will peak.”
H.E. Minami Kentaro, Ambassador of Japan to Cameroon, stated that Japan remains committed to promoting human security and supporting the most vulnerable populations in the country. He noted that the partnership with WFP backs the Cameroonian government’s efforts to assure food security, stabilize communities, protect women and children, and strengthen resilience. Ferrera emphasized that Cameroon remains strategically positioned within Central Africa. He warned that the cost of inaction will far exceed the cost of timely intervention. Sustained support, he added, is essential to preserving stability in a region under immense strain.
