Global hunger red alert: World Food Programme warns food insecurity has doubled, requests financial support

05 Oct 2022 --- The World Food Programme (WFP) is reporting a rapid accelerated red alert on global hunger and malnutrition levels. Compared to 2019, acute food insecurity has reportedly increased from 135 million to 345 million people. Moreover, resources have hit “rock bottom,” and the organization is calling for US$24 billion in financial contributions to alleviate food insecurity for 153 million people this year.

The WFP stresses that 828 million people worldwide go to bed hungry daily, and 50 million people across 45 countries are on the edge of famine. NutritionInsight speaks with Anne Poulsen, director of United Nations (UN) WFP Nordic office and Jordan Cox, spokesperson for the WFP European Union and Martin Rentsch, spokesperson for the WFP in Germany.

“The world is facing an unprecedented global financial, food and fuel crisis affecting us all – rich as well as developing countries. However, the global crisis affects the poorest and most vulnerable countries the hardest,” says Poulsen. 

We need the world to step up and take urgent action to avoid the global food crisis escalating further. There is still enough food in the world for all. However, it is at the wrong price and in the wrong place.”

Everyone must step up
The main reason for the accelerated hunger is conflict, as 60% of people facing hunger are based in areas experiencing war and violence. The supply shortage driven by the Ukraine war has affected food supplies and prices globally, with most exposure in developing countries.

There is enough food for everyone, but it's allocated at the wrong place at the wrong price, WFP stresses.“The world is facing a food crisis of unprecedented proportions, the largest in modern history. Across 82 countries, 345 million people are acutely food insecure, and 50 million are on the brink of famine. But chronic hunger is a much wider problem beyond acute hunger,” says Rentsch. 

The WFP stresses that everyone must contribute to help avert the hunger catastrophe and not just government donors, whose donations constitute the bulk of WFP’s funding. Private sector companies can support through financial contributions, technical assistance and knowledge transfers.

Wealthy individuals and ordinary citizens are encouraged to also play a part, while influencers and celebrities can use their audience reach to spread awareness of global hunger.

“When the WFP is setting records, it doesn’t sound great for the world,” says Arif Husain, chief economist at the WFP.

“The acceleration of already high food, fertilizer and fuel processes has triggered the global crisis that could drive millions more into extreme poverty, magnifying hunger and malnutrition while threatening to raise the global humanitarian caseload to new highs and erase hard-won development gains,” says Antonio Guterres, secretary-general of the UN.

“Therefore, fighting hunger is a systemic challenge that is not only limited to humanitarian action. Apart from fighting imminent suffering, it involves the climate-friendly transformation of our food systems, long-term investments in small-holder farmers or reducing food waste. That requires a concerted effort by the international community,” adds Rentsch.

The foundation of the issueWFP reports its monthly operating costs have increased by an average of 44% since 2019.
David Beasley, executive director at the WFP, explains that food pricing is the number one problem in 2022 as a result of the simultaneous shocks related to conflict, climate change and the world economy.

The COVID-19 pandemic has played a significant role in hunger rising to “unprecedented levels.” At the same time, climate shocks continue to destroy lives, crops and livelihoods and undermine people’s ability to access nutritious food.

“Today, if you have money, you can buy food. But, if we don’t sort out a few things right now, then if you have money tomorrow, it won’t be enough to buy food,” Husain says.

Ukraine – “the world’s breadbasket” – has been transformed into a “major humanitarian aid recipient.” WFP explains that Ukraine produced enough food before the war to feed 400 million people annually. As the food exports stopped, corn and wheat became “trapped inside the country.”

Additionally, costs are also at an all-time high. “WFP’s monthly operating costs are US$73.6 million above their 2019 average – a staggering 44% rise. The extra now spent on operating costs would have previously fed four million people for one month,” says the organization.

Political leadership
Husain explains that before the Ukraine war started, prices of food commodities were already at a ten-year high, prices of fuel commodities were at a seven-year high, and now on top of that, goods are not being exported as expected.

Governments, private companies, citizens and celebrities are all encouraged to play their part in policies, monetary funding and spreading awareness.“These problems are troublesome not only for developing countries but also for rich countries. In the US, there is an 8.5% inflation which has not happened in decades, while the UK has a 10.1% inflation. So if our advanced economies suffer as they are, what about poor net food and fuel importing countries?” Husain notes.

He adds that less than ten countries export 80 to 90% of total crops like wheat, corn, rice and soya beans. This global dependency means that when a shock happens in one of these countries, there is a disproportionate effect worldwide. 

Rentsch stresses that political leadership is crucial in a historic crisis. 

“With the war in Ukraine and its repercussions on global food security, hunger has evolved from soft tissue to a security topic. This is an important paradigm shift, but we must work on solutions to avoid moving from one crisis to the next. Besides funding, WFP needs strong partners to push for these urgently needed solutions and prioritize them on the political level,” he says.

Cox adds: “We call for all governments to do everything they can to continue their investment in fighting food insecurity by saving and changing lives in developing nations. The price of not helping people to build resilience in their home countries is as predictable as it is evident: it increases the risk of poverty, leading to increased population movement and social unrest.”

“The price of not investing in food security will be paid at some point, and investing earlier is more cost-effective and straightforward than spending down the road once food insecurity starts to drive things like migration by necessity, unrest and conflict,” he concludes.

By Beatrice Wihlander