The number of people facing acute food insecurity around the world has more than doubled since 2019 to over 345 million as a result of the Corona pandemic, conflict and climate change. The World Food Program (WFP), the UN's food aid arm, reported this information last Wednesday.
Corinne Fleischer, regional director of WFP, said that before the start of the corona epidemic, the number of people suffering from severe food insecurity was 135 million. Then this number increased. It is also feared that this number may increase due to climate change and conflict.
Destabilization caused by environmental problems can exacerbate food insecurity. In addition, the climate crisis may lead to further conflict and mass displacement.
Fleischer said, "The world cannot afford this pressure. We are seeing more than 10 times more displacement around the world as a result of climate change and conflict. Climate change and conflict are interrelated. We are therefore concerned about the combined effects of Corona, climate change and the war in Ukraine.
The Middle East and North Africa region is dependent on food imports. The people of this region have to look at the food that comes through the ports of the Black Sea. Fleischer said the Ukraine-crisis had a wide impact in the Middle East and North Africa. Yemen imports 90 percent of its food needs. 30 percent of this is imported through the Black Sea.
At the beginning of the attack on Ukraine, Russian troops occupied some Black Sea ports. Ukraine's grain exports through these ports stopped. Last month, an agreement between Ukraine and Russia on the export of food grains was signed in Istanbul, brokered by Turkey and the United Nations.
According to WFP data, more than 16 million people around the world are in need of food assistance. But WFP is only able to provide assistance to 13 million people. But with the help they provide, it is possible to meet half of a person's daily needs. This United Nations organization has said that the lack of funds is behind this.
After the corona epidemic, the prices of goods have increased by more than 45 percent. Western donors also face huge economic challenges due to the war in Ukraine. As a result of the war in Ukraine, oil-exporting countries such as Iraq have benefited from rising oil prices, but are at risk of food insecurity. Fleischer said Iraq needs 5.2 million tons of wheat a year. But only 23 lakh tons are produced there. They have to spend heavily to import the rest of the wheat. Despite state aid, drought and water scarcity have threatened the livelihoods of smallholder farmers across Iraq.
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