The effects of El Niño on Global Food Security and Nutrition

El Niño is the warm phase of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a natural climate cycle that shifts weather patterns globally, increasing the risks of floods, droughts, storms, heat waves, and wildfires. The effects of each El Niño event vary depending on the intensity, temporal development and duration, and also how it interacts with other climate variability modes (such as the Indian Ocean Dipole). Historically El Niño events have affected temperature and rainfall patterns in different regions and typically have a warming effect on the global climate – the most pronounced impacts are in the year following development (WMO). 

By driving extreme rainfall or severe dry spells, El Nino can damage crops, livestock, and infrastructure, cutting food production and driving up prices. This disproportionately affects smallholder farmers and pastoralists who rely on rain and local markets. When combined with preexisting pressures like conflicts and economic shocks, these impacts can further exacerbate food insecurity (UNU). Furthermore, by impacting key agricultural hubs worldwide, El Niño causes supply shortages and price spikes that ripple far beyond affected areas, compounding global food security risks (FAO-WFP). Evidence also links El Niño to adverse nutrition outcomes through pathways beyond food insecurity, including diets, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), disease, displacement, and disruptions to health and nutrition services, with consequences for child health and survival.

Based on a selection of 27 references from trusted sources, the Knowledge Centre on Global Food and Nutrition Security has put together this review to document the impacts of El Nino on food security and nutrition, as of September 2026. Further updates will be provided as the situation evolves.