The United Nations has issued a warning regarding worsening food insecurity in 17 countries, with several East African nations among those facing the most severe impacts.
A new report on Hunger Hotspots, covering the period from June to October 2024, highlights the escalating crisis of food insecurity in critical regions across these countries.
Released jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP), the report underscores that acute food insecurity is expected to intensify significantly in 18 specific areas.
The report identifies South Sudan, Sudan, Mali, and the Palestinian territories as the most alarming cases. Haiti has also been newly included due to increased violence by non-state armed groups.
“These areas are experiencing famine or are at severe risk, requiring urgent action to prevent catastrophic conditions,” said the joint report.
Other African countries identified as hunger hotspots, where millions of people are confronting acute food insecurity, include Ethiopia, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Central African Republic, and Burkina Faso.
The report underscores that these regions are experiencing worsening hunger crises, exacerbated by factors such as conflict, climate extremes, and economic shocks, which are pushing vulnerable households into severe food emergencies.
FAO Director-General QU Dongyu emphasized that the troubling findings in this report should act as a wake-up call to address these critical challenges promptly.
“We need to spearhead the shift from responding to crises after they occur to more proactive anticipatory approaches, prevention and resilience building to help vulnerable communities cope with upcoming shocks. Acting ahead of crises can save lives, reduce food shortages and protect livelihoods at a much lower cost than a not timely humanitarian response,” Dongyu said.
Cindy McCain, WFP executive director noted that once a famine is declared, it is too late because many people will have already starved to death.
“In Somalia in 2011, half of the quarter of a million people who died of hunger perished before famine was officially declared. The world failed to heed the warnings at the time and the repercussions were catastrophic. We must learn the lesson and act now to stop these hotspots from igniting a firestorm of hunger,” McCain said.
“We have proven solutions to stop these crises in their tracks, but we need the resources and the political will to implement them at scale before more lives are lost.”
According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, countries such as Ethiopia, Malawi, Somalia, Zimbabwe, the Central African Republic, Lebanon, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Zambia, and Burkina Faso continue to grapple with acute hunger.
The IPC analysis highlighted that conflict remains a significant driver of food insecurity in these regions, resulting in widespread displacement, disruption of food systems, and limited humanitarian access.
IPC, an initiative involving multiple partners, aims to enhance food security and nutrition analysis and decision-making.
The report underscored that economic challenges, such as high levels of debt and geopolitical tensions, exacerbate the crisis, hindering governments from effectively supporting vulnerable populations.
“Climate variability, including the anticipated La Niña phenomenon, poses additional risks such as flooding and drought, affecting agricultural production and livelihoods in several countries,” the IPC report said.
The report further pointed out the need for expanded humanitarian assistance in all 18 hotspots to protect livelihoods and increase access to food.
“Early intervention is crucial to mitigate food gaps and prevent further deterioration into famine conditions. The international community is urged to invest in integrated solutions that address the multifaceted causes of food insecurity, ensuring sustainable support beyond emergency responses to build resilience and stability in affected regions,” the report stated.
World Bank, Food Security update indicated that an estimated 73 million people in East and Southern Africa will be food insecure by December 2024.
The projected East and Southern Africa hotspots are Sudan (16 million), Ethiopia (12 million), South Sudan (8 million), and Somalia (3.5 million).
