Global Report on Food Crises 2022: 40 million more pushed into acute hunger last year: United Nations

What is the News?

The Global Report on Food Crises 2022 has been released.

What is the Global Report on Food Crises?

Released by: Global Network Against Food Crises, an international alliance of the United Nations, the European Union, and governmental and non-governmental agencies working to tackle food crises together. 

Focus of the report: The report focuses on those countries and territories where the magnitude and severity of the food crisis exceed the local resources and capacities. 

What are the key findings of the report?

Around 193 million people in 53 countries or territories experienced acute food insecurity at crisis or worse levels in 2021. This represents an increase of nearly 40 million people compared with the already record numbers of 2020. 

Among these 53 countries facing the problem, the most affected include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Yemen and Afghanistan.

The key drivers behind rising acute food insecurity in 2021 were: conflict, weather extremes and economic shocks.

Note: The United Nations defines “acute food insecurity” as when a person’s inability to consume adequate food puts their lives or livelihoods in immediate danger.

The report does not take into account the conflict in Ukraine. But the experts have warned that Russia’s war in Ukraine could cause famine.

Source: The post is based on the article “40 million more pushed into acute hunger last year: United Nations” published in The Hindu on 5th May 2022.