Aqilah Rahman
Ending world hunger is one of the 17 lofty ambitions set out by the United Nations (UN) in 2015, collectively known as Sustainable Development Goals.
“Zero Hunger” by 2030 is Sustainable Development Goal 2, and following a new report on progress of achieving that global ambition, UN Secretary-General Antonio-Guterres issued a harsh rebuke of efforts thus far.
“This seventh edition of the Global Report on Food Crises is a stinging indictment of humanity’s failure to make progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 2 to end hunger, and achieve food security and improved nutrition for all,” he said in the report’s foreword.
“In fact, we are moving in the wrong direction. Conflicts and mass displacement continue to drive global hunger.
“Rising poverty, deepening inequalities, rampant underdevelopment, the climate crisis and natural disasters also contribute to food insecurity,” he lamented.
The report itself paints a bleak picture. The number of people facing high levels of acute food insecurity has increased for the fourth consecutive year.
In 2022, about 258 million faced acute food insecurity at crisis or worse levels, up from 193 million in 2021.
WHAT DRIVES GLOBAL HUNGER?
Acute food insecurity can be classified using the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system, used by agencies so they can be on the same page when trying to understand the complex, cross-border, multi-faceted issues that encompass food crises.
The report mostly covers populations facing IPC Phase 3 (Crisis) and above.
IPC Phase 3 indicates that the population is either barely able to meet food requirements by sacrificing other essentials or have high or more-than usual number of malnutrition cases.
Phase 4 is categorised as an emergency, while Phase 5 carried the terrible weight and dread of the word ‘famine’.
This year’s report highlighted the three main drivers of food crises – conflict/insecurity, economic shocks and weather extremes.
Each of these are interconnected and mutually reinforcing, with COVID-19, the war in Ukraine and repeated droughts were notable examples in 2022.
The report highlighted that conflict was still the main driver of acute food insecurity in 2022, affecting 117.1 million people in 19 countries. More countries however face acute food insecurity through economic shocks as its primary cause, with 83.9 million people across 27 countries affected.
Weather extremes including drought, flooding, storms and cyclones were the primary drivers of acute food insecurity in 12 countries, with a combined total of 56.8 million people.
HOMES LOST
The report said as people flee their homes, they lose access to food and water while also facing major barriers to income, humanitarian aid and healthcare.
According to the report, displacements in 2022 were caused by major conflicts including the ongoing war in Ukraine; severe economic crises pushing people to migrate such as in Venezuela; and climate change and weather extremes including the La Nina phenomenon, drought and heavy rainfall and flooding.
By mid-2022, the number of displaced people reached 103 million globally, an increase of 14 million from the end of 2021.
This figure includes refugees, asylum seekers, Internally Displaced People (IDPs) and individuals in need of international protection. By the end of 2022, nearly 53.2 million were internally displaced in 25 food-crisis countries or territories.
The prominence of conflict as the main driver of acute food insecurity is also highlighted.
Countries with the highest IDPs in 2022 nearly mirrored the list of the 10 major food crises.
A BLEAK FUTURE
According to projections available for 38 countries, up to 153.4 million people are expected to be facing high levels of acute food insecurity.
However, the situation is likely to be further aggravated by a number of shocks that occurred in early 2023 were not taken into account.
Economic shocks are projected to be the main driver of acute food insecurity in 22 countries due to slow recovery from the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
High food prices and unsustainable debt levels in a number of food-crisis countries are expected to further restrict food access and capacity of governments to give assistance amidst high interest rates and currency depreciation.
As of March 2023, food prices were exceptionally high in Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Myanmar, Namibia, Pakistan, Somalia, South Sudan and Zimbabwe.
Conflict is forecast to be the main driver in 10 countries while weather extremes are projected to be the main driver in six countries.
The report highlights urgent action is needed. “By the time a population falls into the ‘famine’ classification, lives have already been lost and impacts of the famine will be passed on to the next generation.”
