Global food crisis must be halted with local and sustainable solutions, CARE report states

09 Jun 2023 --- Care International released a new report comparing the global food crises in 2022 to 2008, when 97 million people were driven to hunger. The report states that the current situation resulting from COVID-19, increased food and fuel prices from conflict has driven 209.6 million people – and counting – to food scarcity and hunger in 2022. 

The report details that the crisis in 2008 was met with an urgent response, while the same cannot be said for 2022, even though the crisis is “twice as bad today,” says the Knowing Better Responding Worse report. In 2008, funding needs were met by 72.5% compared to 56% in 2022. 

“The 2008 crisis was met with unprecedented momentum in funding and systemic advancements that the 2022 crisis is not seeing,” reads the report.

In the 2022 crisis, 828 million people were affected by food insecurity and chronic hunger, according to the report, a number that has doubled in two years. It also points to a gender gap since 128 million more women are experiencing hunger than men, comparing 2018 to 2021.

“Combined, these driving factors and subsequent effects of the hunger crisis means that humanitarian needs will continue to escalate if global responses do not meet the immediate and long-term food security needs,” reads the report.

For nutrition and food security to be addressed, humanitarian aid funding must expand. Link between crises
The report further details that the two situations are not unrelated. 

Even though needs in 2008 were met to a more substantial level and with more rapid action, it needed a long-term solution to address food insecurity. However, sustainable solutions to hunger were left out of consideration as decision-makers focused on reacting to emergency needs.

“Political will and subsequent funding for development assistance toward local markets, agriculture initiatives and livelihoods support were not sustained, thereby hindering the realization of long-term food security gains,” notes the report.

For nutrition and food security to be addressed, humanitarian funding must expand. However, the WFP has recently announced suspending aid to countries in need due to a lack of funding.

Step up and speed up
Agriculture and nutrition initiatives, funding and investments need to “step it up,” especially on a local community level to provide long-term solutions to food insecurity, stresses the report. 

This is to target climate resilience and adaptation while addressing gender inequalities and mitigating the effects of supply chain disruptions, which are possible through support to local and national food systems.

The funding process and allocations also need to speed up to address the growing issue of food insecurity.

“Women’s Led Organizations, L/N NGOs and civil society organizations must be prioritized recipients of early recovery and resilience building funding to design and implement programming that most effectively integrates the needs of affected populations into project outcomes and activities,” states the report.

It stresses that it’s not about building new solutions from scratch but building on existing solutions to reduce risk, needs and vulnerability.

By Beatrice Wihlander