‘Catastrophic’ hunger persists in multiple countries, warn food agencies
- October 31, 2024
New York – Millions of people around the world are facing catastrophic levels of hunger, with the situation expected to worsen in the coming months, according to a new report from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP).
The report, released on Monday, October 31, 2024, found that 45 countries are currently experiencing high levels of food insecurity, with 19 countries facing catastrophic levels of hunger. These 19 countries are:
- Afghanistan
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Ethiopia
- Haiti
- Kenya
- Madagascar
- Mali
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Syria
- Yemen
- Zimbabwe
The report warns that the situation is likely to worsen in the coming months, with the number of people facing catastrophic levels of hunger expected to increase to 26 countries by the end of the year.
The main drivers of the hunger crisis are conflict, climate change, and economic shocks. Conflict is the primary driver of hunger in 13 of the 19 countries facing catastrophic levels of hunger. Climate change is a major factor in 11 countries, and economic shocks are a major factor in 9 countries.
The report calls for urgent action to address the hunger crisis, including increased humanitarian assistance, support for local food production, and long-term development efforts to address the root causes of hunger.
“We are facing a catastrophe,” said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu. “Millions of people are on the brink of starvation. We need to act now to save lives and prevent a full-blown famine.”
“The situation is dire,” said WFP Executive Director David Beasley. “We are seeing levels of hunger that we have not seen in decades. We need to scale up our response now to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.”
‘Catastrophic’ hunger persists in multiple countries, warn food agencies
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