Acute food insecurity is projected to increase in 22 countries and territories over the next year
The director of the FAO claims the importance of achieving peace to end the lack of food
Oct. 31 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The UN has warned this Thursday that the populations of Sudan, South Sudan, Palestine, Haiti and Mali, the territories in the world most affected by malnutrition, face a “catastrophic hunger situation” that could worsen over the next year. and that makes it necessary to adopt urgent measures.
In a report on the progress of malnutrition in the world for next year, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Program (WFP) have warned that these five territories, which are in serious danger of falling into imminent famine, they need emergency measures to be put in place as soon as possible.
The director general of the FAO, Qu Dongyu, has indicated that the situation in these five places, considered of “greatest concern” is already “catastrophic” given that the population experiences an “extreme lack of food that is increased due to the escalation of conflicts, climate crises and economic problems”.
Thus, he has asserted that in order to save lives and avoid “acute hunger”, it is necessary to achieve “a humanitarian ceasefire that restores access to food and reactivates local food production.” “But these actions are not enough; we need long-term measures for stability and food security,” he said.
“Peace is a prerequisite for food security. Without peace and stability, farmers cannot grow their food, harvest crops, or sustain their livelihoods. Access to food is not only a basic need but a human right fundamental,” he stated.
The report ‘Hunger hotspots: early warnings from FAO and WFP on acute food insecurity’ also warns that acute food insecurity will increase in magnitude and severity in 22 countries and territories around the world over the next year .
The document also warns that the spread of conflict, particularly in the Middle East – coupled with climatic and economic stressors – is pushing millions of people to the brink. It also highlights the regional consequences of the crisis in the Gaza Strip, which has also seen Lebanon plunge into the conflict.
In this sense, it maintains the existence of a climate pattern derived from the La Niña phenomenon, which could affect the climate until March 2025 and threatens fragile food systems in already vulnerable regions, while calling for urgent humanitarian action to save lives and livelihoods and prevent hunger and death in hotspots.
AREAS OF GREAT CONCERN
The UN stipulates five levels of severity in relation to malnutrition, of which the lowest implies a minimal risk of hunger, while the last two levels address emergency situations and, in the worst case, a catastrophic situation or of famine.
Countries such as Chad, Lebanon, Burma, Mozambique, Nigeria, Syria and Yemen are classified as hotspots of very high concern, where large numbers of people face or are expected to face critical levels of acute food insecurity.
This situation, according to the report, is driven by factors that threaten to deepen already life-threatening conditions, such as in Kenya, Lesotho, Namibia and Niger, which have been added to the list of hunger hotspots, while the The situation in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Malawi, Somalia, Zambia and Zimbabwe could deteriorate further in the coming months.
“Conflicts and armed violence continue to be the main causes of hunger in numerous risk points, altering food systems, displacing populations and obstructing humanitarian access,” states the text, which foresees a worsening of the conflict in countries such as Sudan.
For her part, the executive director of the WFP, Cindy McCain, has stated that “around the world, conflicts are increasing, economic instability is increasing and climate disasters are becoming the new norm”, which is why she has urged to “more effective political and financial support” so that “humanitarians can advance solutions that address hunger and long-term needs.”
“It is time for world leaders to step up and work with us to reach the millions of people at risk of starvation: providing diplomatic solutions to conflicts, using their influence to enable humanitarian workers to work safely and mobilizing the resources and alliances necessary to stop the global crisis,” he said.
BEYOND CONFLICTS
The UN has also emphasized the importance of going beyond conflict and addressing climate variability and its effect on acute food insecurity in many regions of the world.
The effects of the La Niña weather pattern, which will significantly affect global climate from November 2024 to March 2025, are expected to further exacerbate some of the food crises that populations in various parts of the world are already experiencing.
Although some areas may benefit from improved agricultural conditions, La Niña is likely to cause devastating flooding in countries such as Nigeria and South Sudan, while contributing to drought in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia. These extreme weather events threaten already fragile food systems and put millions of people at risk of hunger.
For this reason, the UN highlights the fundamental role of adopting early and specific measures to prevent further deterioration of the crisis and avoid massive mortality related to hunger.
Thus, FAO and WFP call on world leaders to prioritize conflict resolution, economic support and climate adaptation measures to protect the most vulnerable populations from the brink of famine and avoid human losses.
“Those who make decisions must increase the budget for hunger relief and intensify diplomatic efforts to improve access to humanitarian aid and end conflicts,” the text states.
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