By Brian Ndungu
The number of peoplae affected by hunger globally has risen to 828 million in 2021, an increase of about 46 million since 2020 and 150 million since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a United Nations report titled ‘The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI)’, fresh evidence shows that the world is drifting from its goal of ending hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition in all its forms by 2030.
“About 828 million people were affected by hunger in 2021 which is 46 million people more than 150 million reported in 2019. The proportion of people affected by hunger jumped in 2020 and continued to rise in 2021, to 9.8% of the world population. This compares with 8% in 2019 and 9.3% in 2020,” the report says in part.
It adds that around 2.3 billion people in the world (29.3%) were moderately or severely food insecure in 2021 – 350 million more compared to before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 924 million people (11.7% of the global population) faced food insecurity at severe levels, an increase of 207 million in two years.
The report further projected that nearly 670 million people (8% of the world population) will still be facing hunger in 2030 – even if a global economic recovery is taken into consideration.
The report further sheds light on food security and nutrition situation around the world, including the latest estimates of the cost and affordability of a healthy diet.
The report also looks at ways in which governments can repurpose their current support in agriculture to reduce the cost of healthy diets, mindful of the limited public resources available in many parts of the world.
The report was jointly published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN World Food Program (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Part of the challenges cited by the report is the ongoing war in Ukraine h exacerbated the numbers as the two countries are the biggest global producers of staple cereals, oilseeds and fertilizer which has disrupted international supply chains and pushed up the prices to unimaginable levels.
This report repeatedly highlighted the intensification of major drivers of food insecurity and malnutrition: conflict, climate extremes and economic shocks, combined with growing inequalities.
Repurposing agricultural policies
The report notes that the worldwide support for the food and agricultural sector averaged almostUS$ 630 billiona year between 2013 and 2018. The lion’s share of it goes to individual farmers, through trade and market policies and fiscal subsidies.
However, not only is much of this support market-distorting, but it is not reaching many farmers, hurts the environment and does not promote the production of nutritious foods that make up a healthy diet.
With the threats of a global recession looming, and the implications this has on public revenues and expenditures, a way to support economic recovery involves the repurposing of food and agricultural support to target nutritious foods where per capita consumption does not yet match the recommended levels for healthy diets.
The evidence suggests that if governments repurpose the resources, they are using to incentivize the production, supply and consumption of nutritious foods, they will contribute to making healthy diets less costly, more affordable and equitably for all.
Finally, the report also points out that governments should do more to reduce trade barriers for nutritious foods, such as fruits, vegetables and pulses.
Food and Agriculture organization (FAO) Director-General QU Dongyu expressed commitment to work with developing countries to explore opportunities for increasing the provision of public services for all actors across agri-food systems.
“Low-income countries, where agriculture is key to the economy, jobs and rural livelihoods, have little public resources to repurpose. FAO is committed to continue working together with these countries to explore opportunities.” Added the director.
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) President Gilbert F. Houngbo expressed his disappointment stating that the figures are depressing for humanity.
“We continue to move away from our goal of ending hunger by 2030. The ripple effects of the global food crisis will most likely worsen the outcome again next year. We need a more intense approach to ending hunger and IFAD stands ready to do its part by scaling up its operations and impact.” He added.
While to United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Catherine Russell said, “The unprecedented scale of the malnutrition crisis demands an unprecedented response. We must double our efforts to ensure that the most vulnerable children have access to nutritious, safe, and affordable diets — and services for the early prevention, detection and treatment of malnutrition. With so many children’s lives and futures at stake, this is the time to step up our ambition for child nutrition – and we have no time to waste.”
World food program (WFP) Executive Director David Beasley observed that, “There is a real danger these numbers will climb even higher in the months ahead. The global price spikes in food, fuel and fertilizers that we are seeing as a result of the crisis in Ukraine threaten to push countries around the world into famine. The result will be global destabilization, starvation, and mass migration on an unprecedented scale. We have to act today to avert this looming catastrophe.”
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said “Every year, 11 million people die due to unhealthy diets. Rising food prices mean this will only get worse. WHO supports countries’ efforts to improve food systems through taxing unhealthy foods and subsidizing healthy options, protecting children from harmful marketing, and ensuring clear nutrition labels. We must work together to achieve the 2030 global nutrition targets, to fight hunger and malnutrition, and to ensure that food is a source of health for all.”
