Over 72 million people are facing high levels of acute food insecurity due to extreme weather events
Photo for representation: iStock
Nearly 282 million people faced high levels of acute food insecurity in 59 countries in 2023, with extreme weather being the second most significant factor driving food crisis, revealed the 2024 Global Report on Food Crisis (GRFC) released April 24, 2024.
The overall share of the analyzed population facing high levels of acute food insecurity was marginally lower than in 2022, but still higher than pre-COVID-19. In fact, for four consecutive years, the proportion of people facing acute food insecurity has remained persistently high at almost 22 per cent of those assessed, significantly exceeding pre-COVID-19 levels.
With food crisis escalating alarmingly in conflict hotspots in 2023, notably Palestine (Gaza Strip) and Sudan, conflict / insecurity became the primary driver in 20 countries, directly affecting 135 million people. The Gaza Strip became the area with the most severe food crisis in the last eight years of GRFC reporting.
Meanwhile, weather extremes were the main driver for 18 countries, with over 72 million people facing high levels of acute food insecurity because of such extreme weather events. The El Nino event and climate change-related weather phenomena made 2023 the hottest year on record and many countries were grappling with prolonged recovery from drought or flooding.
El Nino conditions, currently prevailing over the equatorial Pacific region, are generally responsible for warmer temperatures in many places around the world, including in India.
The report analyzed a population of 1.3 billion in 2023 across 59 countries. The share of analyzed population facing high levels of acute food insecurity was marginally lower than in 2022. However, the number of people affected increased by 24 million since 2022, marking the fifth consecutive year of rising numbers.
Overalls, 1 in 5 people assessed were in need of critical urgent action.
This year-on-year increase was mainly explained by increased analysis coverage, as well as deterioration in some countries / territories outweighing improvements in others.
Acute food insecurity deteriorated in 12 countries with comparable data between 2022 and 2023, where 13.5 million more people needed urgent assistance, mostly in Sudan.
Sudan is facing one of the worst food crises in the world, with almost a third of the population in need of emergency food aid. The armed conflict in the African country began a year ago, entered its southeastern regions, which is known as the nation’s breadbasket.
Southeastern Sudan contributes over half of Sudan’s total cereal production and is the main area for national grain storage.
Largely driven by the conflict situation in both Sudan and Gaza, the number of forcibly displaced people reached 90 million in the 59 countries, the highest in eight years of GRFC reporting – highlighting the high correlation between displacement and acute food insecurity. Sudan became the world’s biggest internal displacement crisis. And by the end of 2023, almost 80 percent of the population of the Gaza Strip was internally displaced.
Year Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis published in March 2024 warned of a further devastating deterioration, with famine imminent between March and May 2024 in North Gaza and a risk of famine across the rest of the Gaza Strip. Half of the population (about 1.1 million people) were estimated to be experiencing catastrophic acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 5).
CPI is a standardized scale developed by the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization for improving food security analysis and decision making.
After conflict and weather extremes, economic shocks were the third main driver in 21 countries, mostly low-income and import-dependent, where decreasing global food prices did not transmit. Economic shocks led to over 75 million people facing high levels of acute food insecurity.
“This crisis demands an urgent response. Using the data in this report to transform food systems and address the underlying causes of food insecurity and malnutrition will be vital,” said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Meanwhile, ffood security improved in 17 countries with comparable data between 2022 and 2023, resulting in 7.2 million fewer people facing high levels of acute food insecurity.
GRFC is produced annually by the Food Security Information Network and launched by the Global Network Against Food Crises – a multistakeholder initiative that includes United Nations agencies, the European Union, the United States Agency for International Development and non-governmental agencies working to tackle food crises.
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