Data or statistical facts on the situation and perspectives of agri-food systems and the impact of policies
In the week ending October 6, 2026, 41 US states experienced moderate (D1) to exceptional (D4) drought.
As of October 7, 2026, approximately 101.9 million people in the United States were affected by drought conditions.
As of October 7, 2026, 55.21% of the contiguous United States was experiencing drought conditions.
16.80 inches of rainfall were recorded over six months at the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport station, roughly 50% of normal and the third-driest such period since records began.
Since 1950, no El Niño episode may have been as intense as the one forecast for 2026, according to the experts cited by the source.
Between 2 and 7 years is the usual recurrence interval of El Niño, a phenomenon that warms surface waters in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific.
Latin America and the Caribbean require US$33 million to take action and protect 1.1 million people from the anticipated effects of El Niño, including those related to food security. (Food and Agriculture Organization, 2026).
For the Niño 1+2 region, the Coastal Niño would extend until the summer of 2027. The event is expected to reach a magnitude between strong (48%) and moderate (46%). (Multisectoral Commission in Charge of the National Study of the El Niño Phenomenon, 2026).
In the Niño 3.4 region (central equatorial Pacific), El Niño would develop from June 2026 to March 2027. For the summer of 2026-2027, the event is estimated to reach a magnitude between strong (44%) and moderate (36%). (Multisectoral Commission in Charge of the National Study of the El Niño Phenomenon, 2026).
10% of global agricultural land is affected by waterlogging or severe drainage constraints, reducing crop growth and agricultural productivity.
