A recent report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Food Program (WFP) has identified various hotspots around the globe, including India’s neighbors, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Myanmar. These regions are experiencing acute food insecurity and are termed “hunger hotspots.”
Hunger Hotspots – FAO-WFP Report Highlights
The report identifies 18 areas in 22 countries where acute food insecurity is likely to escalate in both intensity and severity. It pinpoints Pakistan, the Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Syrian Arab Republic as hotspots of significant concern due to escalating life-threatening conditions. Meanwhile, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen remain at the highest level of concern.
Movement restriction issues in places like Haiti, the Sahel (Burkina Faso and Mali), and Sudan have led to their elevation to the highest concern levels. Deteriorating conditions threaten these countries with starvation and catastrophic conditions, given their critical food insecurity situation and severe aggravating elements.
Emerging Conflicts and Weather Extremes
New conflicts, such as those erupting in Sudan, may impact global conflict trends and numerous neighboring countries, pushing people into catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity. Weather extremes, including heavy rains, cylones, flooding, drought, and increased climate variability, serve as significant drivers in some nations. An 82% chance of El Niño conditions from May-July 2023 could seriously impact these hunger hotspots.
Economic Shocks and Recommendations
Deepening economic shocks drive low and middle-income nations deeper into crisis. Urgent humanitarian actions are required to save lives and protect livelihoods. Continuous monitoring of forecasts and their production impact is critical, as is urgent and increased assistance in all 18 hunger hotspots to ensure food accessibility and prevent further malnutrition.
About Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
The FAO, a United Nations specialized agency, spearheads global efforts to combat hunger. Founded in 1945, it is based in Rome, Italy, alongside sister organizations the World Food Program and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The FAO takes initiatives like the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) and runs the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, among others. It also monitors the worldwide Desert Locust situation and publishes various reports on food security, agriculture, and nutrition.
About the World Food Program (WFP)
The WFP, established in 1961 by the FAO and United Nations General Assembly, leads in providing life-saving food to those displaced by conflict or disaster. Also based in Rome, the organization works in over 120 countries to alleviate hunger, improve nutrition, and build community resilience. As a member of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group, it aims to achieve international commitments to end hunger, improve food security, and enhance nutrition by 2030.
Acute food insecurity has become a pressing issue affecting many nations worldwide, and according to the FAO and WFP, urgent action is required to mitigate worsening conditions. The issue plays a significant role not only in the UPSC Civil Services examination but also in shaping our understanding of global hunger trends.
