108 million people in the world face severe food insecurity: World Food Programme report

Unless some concrete and long-term plans are taken, the countries listed in the report are in the danger of slipping into worse condition and widespread starvation.

New Delhi, April 3: A report by the World Food Programme (WFP) states that around 108 million people in the world were severely facing insecurity in 2016. The compiled report by the WFP required integration of several measurement methodologies and collaboration between the European Union, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWSNET). Notably,  while in 2016 the figure is 108 million, in 2015 it was only 80 million. As per WFP, the situation is worsening everyday.

The WFP report of 2016 suggests that the European Union has taken leadership in the response to the food crises highlighted. Commissioner for International Cooperation, Neven Mimica claims that they have allocated 550 million euros in 2016 and also has mobilised 165 million euros to assist the people affected by famine and drought in the Horn of Africa.

The report that WFP released on Friday has listed 18 countries and has projected the prevailing Food Security crisis Phase 3 or above in these countries. Yemen tops the list with 14.1 million people, which is about 50% of the country’s population, facing severe food insecurity. Ethiopia and Afghanistan came in second and third with 9.7 million and 8.5 million people facing food insecurity respectively. Notably, Yemen, North Nigeria (alongwith Northeast Nigeria), South Sudan and Somalia has been categorised under the ‘Countries at risk of famine’ header.

Ethiopia (9.7 million), Malawi (6.7 million), Zimbabwe (4.1 million), Haiti (1.5 million) and Mozambique (1.1 million) have been drawn to such food insecurity due to natural disaster, in this case El Nino-driven drought conditions and other climactic shocks. The report also takes into consideration that Hurricane Matthew hit  drought-affected Haiti in late 2016.

#NEWS: 108 million ppl in the world face severe food insecurity & it’s getting worse – #globalfoodcrisis report → https://t.co/6K8in3AcyR pic.twitter.com/IpkUZPyyyS

— World Food Programme (@WFP) April 3, 2017

Similarly, Yemen (14.1 million), Afghanistan (8.5 million), North Nigeria (8.1 million), Syria (7 million) and South Sudan (4.4 million) have reached this level of food insecurity due to armed conflicts in this region. Apart from food insecurity Syria, Yemen, South Sudan, North-East Nigeria and Somalia has also seen huge displacement of population.

The WFP report states that the 108 million people facing severe food insecurity in 2016 represent mostly those suffering from ‘higher-than-usual acute malnutrition’ and broad lack of minimally adequate food even with external assistance. It is quite clear that unless any robust and sustained action is undertaken, those now listed with severe food insecurity are in the risk of depletion further and might also cause widespread starvation.

Click here to read Global Report on Food Crises 2017