By Francesca Sabia
Either because of climate change, wars, and disputes, or rising costs of living, households in most fragile settings are experiencing severe hunger, remarking on how – up to now – the global community has long to go to fight the on-the-rise food emergency.
The recent joint work by FAO, WFP, and Global Network Against Food Crises clearly state in writing the dire conditions in which millions of human beings live, hunted by famine, poverty, and fear. The current trends and foresight for the upcoming future highlight how the international community’s efforts in overcoming food insecurity have been disappointing, thus far. Not only, do these new reports put down in black and white the «human failings» of addressing food insecurity, but they are also a wake-up call for humanity to increase efforts and find innovative solutions to deliver relief and support to the 281.6 million citizens risking starvation soon.
Beyond the few countries currently in the spotlight due to geopolitical unrest, the number of nations at moderate to high risk of food crises is significantly higher and steadily increasing, with trends showing no signs of abating. The aforementioned analyses clearly indicate that UN agencies, wealthy nations, and the international community must make concerted efforts to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which have become an urgent imperative that can no longer be postponed.
Moreover, the current food emergency and the race to meet SDG 2 – Zero Hunger – underscore, more than ever, the deeply interconnected and cross-cutting nature of the SDGs. Only by adopting a comprehensive and well-structured approach toward achieving all SDGs will it be possible to reduce global hunger.
Yet, what lies behind the seemingly simple concept of hunger?
Food security is defined as a condition in which «all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life » (FAO, Committee on World Food Security). When one or more of the key determinants – food availability, access, utilization, and stability – are no longer ensured, acute or chronic food insecurity arises. The latter – whose criteria of severity are established according to the “Integrated Food Security Phase Classification” – is defined as a « situation requiring urgent action to protect and save lives and livelihoods at local or national levels, exceeding the resources and capacities available to respond ».
The drivers of food instability are far more complex than they may initially appear. Multiple factors are responsible for causing a lack of food, which individually or, more often, undermine the right to access nutrition. These drivers include:
International and regional conflicts: Full-scale invasions and bombings, or internal civil wars, disrupt dams, communication lines, and food supply hubs, as well as humanitarian access, as seen in Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, and Sudan.
Criminality and terrorism: In places like gangs-ravaged Haiti, or in countries witnessing the brutalities of non-state groups, particularly radical factions operating in the Sahel, Sub-Saharan Africa, the MENA region, and Afghanistan, access to safe food is severely hampered. Eco-terrorist strategies, such as exploiting natural resources or food supplies, include the looting of humanitarian food trucks and the sale of food to civilians by terrorist groups. Water sources or fishing activities are often controlled by these groups, and payment is required for access, while wells and irrigation systems are poisoned, devastating crops, livestock, and human lives.
Climate change: Severe droughts, extreme heat, heavy floods, or other climate hazards frequently destroy agricultural land and infrastructure, making food production and procurement a constant challenge.
Socio-economic factors: High debt levels, rising government taxes, corruption, inequalities, and inflation in food prices in the least developed countries, coupled with meager wages, prevent low- and middle-income families from purchasing sufficient, nutritious food. As a result, they are forced to reduce the number of daily meals and survive on a limited intake of calories and nutrients.
Food can be weaponized and politicized. When food, politics, and violence converge, the outcome disproportionately affects innocent civilians who are already suffering from the effects of environmental changes.
With this framework set, which countries are nowadays most at risk and require close monitoring in the coming months? Escalating security issues in Palestine, Sudan, Mali, Haiti, and South Sudan are making access to food nearly impossible. Humanitarian aid blockades, destruction of water systems, lack of clean energy, limited work opportunities, and outbreaks of disease place these countries close to famine. Additionally, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Venezuela, Yemen, Myanmar (Rohingya community), Syria, Ethiopia, Somalia, the Central African Republic, the Sahel countries, Nigeria, and Ukraine are identified as high-risk hotspots due to ongoing conflicts, the side effects of climate change, and political-economic instability.
In examining the hunger hotspots and the primary causes of food instability, it is clear that peace, diplomatic solutions, and ceasefires are essential. Only when these conditions are met can humanitarian aid safely reach the field, and resilient agri-food systems be built using innovative technologies to counter the effects of climate change on livestock and local food production.
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