A growing worldwide hunger problem has alarmed two UN food agencies, who have warned that millions more people may experience famine in the upcoming months as a result of intensifying conflicts and depleting humanitarian assistance.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) stated in a joint report published on Wednesday that in the majority of nations currently at danger of catastrophic hunger, conflict and violence continue to be the primary causes of acute food insecurity.
The six nations with “an imminent risk of catastrophic hunger” are Haiti, Mali, Palestine, South Sudan, Sudan, and Yemen, according to the Rome-based organizations.
Additionally, they identified Burkina Faso, Chad, Kenya, and Rohingya refugee settlements in Bangladesh as deteriorating hotspots for food shortages, as well as Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Nigeria, Somalia, and Syria as nations of “very high concern.”
Tens of millions of people are at risk of starving as a result of economic instability, armed conflict, and climate shocks, according to the research.
Cindy McCain, Executive Director of the World Food Programme, called the situation a “completely preventable hunger catastrophe” and called on the international community to take immediate action before the situation gets out of hand.
“We are on the verge of a completely preventable hunger catastrophe that threatens widespread starvation in multiple countries,” McCain cautioned. If nothing is done, instability, migration, and war will only increase.
According to her, there is “dangerously little” international financing for humanitarian relief, which makes it difficult for aid organizations to address the growing food insecurity in many areas.
Out of the $29 billion needed to address the critical food and livelihood requirements of at-risk people, only $10.5 billion has been received, according to the UN report.
WFP has had to reduce or halt a number of life-saving initiatives due to the budget shortfall.
According to the report, “school feeding programs have been suspended in some countries, and assistance for refugees and displaced persons has been reduced due to funding cuts.”
The FAO also issued a warning, stating that attempts to safeguard agricultural livelihoods—which it defined as “essential for stabilizing food production and preventing recurring crises”—are in danger due to a lack of resources.
In order to prepare for the upcoming planting season, the FAO requested foreign donors to offer prompt support for agricultural inputs such seeds, fertilizers, and livestock health services.
