Whatever happened to the U.S. famine alert system that Trump shut down, then reopened

Billy Odell Tucker-Robinson Founder & Host — Banking With Billy Network • Intelligence Network • Data Science • AI Research • World News
Published: 2026-08-31T23:15:17.228Z • Permanent link

FEWS NET, a premier global food security monitoring network, has been providing critical data to policymakers, researchers, and humanitarian organizations for over three decades. Its discontinuation of data posting in Afghanistan, Somalia, and Yemen, only to announce its resumption in September, has sparked curiosity among stakeholders. To understand the root cause of this back-and-forth, we must delve into the history of the network's development, the events surrounding its closure, and the efforts to revive it.

In 2017, FEWS NET's parent organization, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), announced plans to discontinue the network's data posting in Afghanistan, Somalia, and Yemen due to funding constraints. At the time, the network was facing significant operational challenges, including a decline in funding from the U.S. government. The decision was met with widespread criticism from the research community, humanitarian organizations, and policymakers, who relied heavily on FEWS NET's data for informed decision-making.

In 2020, the Trump administration reinstated funding for FEWS NET, allowing the network to resume data posting in Afghanistan, Somalia, and Yemen. However, the network's management has been grappling with maintaining its existing capacity and infrastructure, while also addressing new challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In light of these challenges, FEWS NET's management has been forced to reevaluate its priorities, ultimately leading to the decision to suspend data posting in the affected countries.

FEWS NET's data has been instrumental in shaping global food security policies and humanitarian responses. Its discontinuation has significant implications for research communities, policymakers, and markets. The network's data is widely used by organizations such as the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the International Rescue Committee (IRC), among others. The lack of reliable data has created a knowledge gap, which can have far-reaching consequences for food security, humanitarian responses, and economic development. Furthermore, the suspension of FEWS NET's data posting in Afghanistan, Somalia, and Yemen has raised concerns about the potential for malnutrition and food insecurity in these countries.

The impact of FEWS NET's data suspension is not limited to these countries alone. The network's data is also used by researchers and policymakers to analyze global food security trends, identify areas of vulnerability, and develop effective strategies to address food insecurity. The lack of reliable data has created a power vacuum, which can be exploited by various stakeholders, including malicious actors. As a result, it is essential that FEWS NET's management prioritizes the development of its data posting capabilities to ensure the continued provision of critical information to stakeholders worldwide.

FEWS NET's history is deeply intertwined with the evolution of global food security monitoring networks. In the 1990s, the U.S. government launched the Feed the Future initiative, which aimed to reduce global hunger and improve food security. As part of this initiative, FEWS NET was established to provide critical data on food availability, food needs, and food access. Since its inception, FEWS NET has been at the forefront of global food security monitoring, providing data that has informed policy decisions and humanitarian responses worldwide. The network's development has been shaped by competing approaches, including the use of satellite imagery, social media, and machine learning algorithms.