Children and women most affected; conflict & extreme weather events biggest driver of food insecurity
In 2023, nearly 282 million people faced high levels of acute food insecurity in 59 countries and extreme weather was the second most significant factor driving the food crisis. These alarming figures were revealed by the 2024 Global Report on Food Crisis (released on April 24, 2024). Food insecurity refers to the lack of access to the kinds and amounts of food necessary for each member of a household to lead an active and healthy lifestyle.
Conflict was the primary driver that was escalating the food crisis in 2023, especially in conflict hotspots notably Palestine (Gaza Strip) and Sudan. In 20 countries, conflict was the main reason for the food crisis, directly affecting 135 million people. Overall, 1 in 5 people assessed by the researchers of this report, were in need of critical urgent action.
Largely driven by conflict situations in both Sudan and Gaza, the number of forcibly displaced people reached 90 million in the 59 countries. This figure highlights the high correlation between displacement and acute food insecurity. 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.
Coming to extreme weather events; they were the main reason for the food crisis in 18 countries, with over 72 million people facing high levels of acute food insecurity. 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 either drought or flooding.
After conflict and weather extremes, economic shocks were the third main driver in at least 21 countries.
The report analyzed a population of 1.3 billion in 2023 across 59 countries. The share of the analyzed population facing high levels of acute food insecurity was marginally lower than in 2022. However, the number of people affected has increased by 24 million since 2022. This made 2023 the fifth consecutive year of such rising numbers.
Children and women are the most affected by these hunger crises, with over 36 million children under five years of age acutely malnourished across 32 countries, the report showed. Meanwhile, food security also improved in 17 countries between 2022 and 2023. Due to this improvement, 7.2 million fewer people faced high levels of acute food insecurity.
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