Today (21 April 2020) an international alliance of UN, governmental, and non-governmental agencies working to address the root causes of extreme hunger have released a new edition of their annual Global Report on Food Crises.
The report by the Global Network Against Food Crises indicates that at the close of 2019, 135 million people across 55 countries and territories experienced acute food insecurity* (IPC/CH Phase 3 or above).
Additionally, in the 55 food-crisis countries covered by the report, 75 million children were stunted and 17 million suffered from wasting in 2019.
This is the highest level of acute food insecurity* and malnutrition documented by the Network since the first edition of the report in 2017.
Additionally, in 2019, 183 million people were classified in Stressed (IPC/CH Phase 2) condition — at the cusp of acute hunger and at risk of slipping into Crisis or worse (IPC/CH Phase 3 or above) if faced with a shock or stressor, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than half (73 million) of the 135 million people covered by the report live in Africa; 43 million live in the Middle East and Asia; 18.5 million live in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The key drivers behind the trends analysed in the report were: conflict, (the key factor that pushed 77 million people into acute food insecurity), weather extremes (34 million people) and economic turbulence (24 million).
According to António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, “This year’s Global Report on Food Crises highlights the plight of millions of people who must fight every day against acute hunger and malnutrition.
The report also points the way towards solutions that can rebuild lives and livelihoods in communities around the world.
Climate-induced disasters, economic crises and, above all, armed conflict, continued to
drive hunger rates and food insecurity in 2018.
Last May, the United Nations Security Council condemned the use of starvation as a weapon
of war.
Determined action is needed to uphold this pledge.”
The report by the Global Network Against Food Crises indicates that at the close of 2019, 135 million people across 55 countries and territories experienced acute food insecurity* (IPC/CH Phase 3 or above).
Additionally, in the 55 food-crisis countries covered by the report, 75 million children were stunted and 17 million suffered from wasting in 2019.
This is the highest level of acute food insecurity* and malnutrition documented by the Network since the first edition of the report in 2017.
Additionally, in 2019, 183 million people were classified in Stressed (IPC/CH Phase 2) condition — at the cusp of acute hunger and at risk of slipping into Crisis or worse (IPC/CH Phase 3 or above) if faced with a shock or stressor, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than half (73 million) of the 135 million people covered by the report live in Africa; 43 million live in the Middle East and Asia; 18.5 million live in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The key drivers behind the trends analysed in the report were: conflict, (the key factor that pushed 77 million people into acute food insecurity), weather extremes (34 million people) and economic turbulence (24 million).
UNICEF