Acute hunger remains stubbornly high

The past few weeks have seen an acceleration in crises across the world, putting further strain on an already stretched humanitarian system. In this increasingly fragmented and polarized world, civilians pay the highest price. It is imperative to protect civilians at all times and ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches all people in need in a timely, safe and effective manner.

Concerning hotspots of hunger

Too many countries in the world are still grappling with high levels of acute food insecurity. The Mid-Year Update for the 2023 Global Report against Food Crises released in September highlighted that acute hunger remained stubbornly high despite improvements in some areas.

At the same time, the FAO-WFP early warning analysis issued at the end of October warned of a possible deterioration in 18 hunger hotspots.

The hotspots of highest concern remain Burkina Faso, Mali, South Sudan and Sudan. Palestine has been added to the list due to the escalation of conflict. Other countries of very high concern include Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Pakistan, Somalia, the Syrian Arab Republic and Yemen.

In this context, it is crucial to invest more in early warning and preparedness, including anticipatory action, to mitigate the impact on vulnerable populations. Suggested action include cash assistance, strategic livestock destocking, vaccinations or seeds distribution.

Hunger on the global agenda

During the United Nations General Assembly last September, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres placed the fight against hunger as a top priority, saying: “It is an indictment of every one of us that millions of people are starving in this day and age.” In his message for World Food Day, he called on Governments, the private sector, civil society and academia to work together to bring this issue to the top of the global agenda. He urged Governments and donors to invest in durably transforming food systems. UN Member States also reiterated their commitment to end poverty and hunger in the SDG Summit declaration adopted on 18 September. While hunger was present in many political declarations of the General Debate, numerous concrete announcements were also made. World Vision , for example, pledged US$3.4 billion to eradicate child hunger and malnutrition globally.

"Hunger and malnutrition are a human rights violation on an epic scale." - António Guterres, 23 Oct. 2023, 51st session of the Committee on World Food Security

Climate change and hunger

Despite an increasing acknowledgement of the link between food insecurity and climate change, efforts to support those worst affected are still insufficient. At the Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi in September, the conversation focused on the disproportionate burden carried by African countries. While Africa has not contributed much to climate change, it alone costs the continent an estimated $7-15 billion in losses every year, in some countries as much as 2-3% of GDP. The discussions also highlighted the immense potential of the continent, which – with the right investment - could become a food exporter and a driving force for global growth.

Representatives from grassroot organizations shared their experience of climate adaptation, at an event organized by the HDP Coalition. They urged the international community to unlock climate finance especially in contexts facing the interlinked challenges of climate change, food security, malnutrition, and conflict. These conversations are paving the way for a meaningful engagement at COP28, where the food crisis should be on the menu. The Secretary-General has urged Member States to “arrive at COP28 next month with concrete plans and proposals to avoid the worst effects of climate change.” All hopes will be on the operationalization of the loss and damage fund, making sure money committed is new and additional.

“I realized many of us are affected by climate change. But I’d like people to care more about pastoralists and women. We shouldn’t be the ones left behind, we have so much to bring to the table.” - Samwel Lentoror

Samwel Lentoror is an agro-pastoralist from Marsabit in Northern Kenya. His Samburu community is on the frontline of climate change. Last year, the historic drought that hit the Horn of Africa decimated their livestock. Food insecurity and malnutrition rates went up and remain high up to now. However, pastoralists communities are already taking the lead in adapting to a new reality. PACIDA, the organization Samwel works with, supported by Welthungerhilfe (WHH) , is advocating for alternative livelihoods and climate adaptation investments that combine indigenous traditional pastoralism and income-generating activities, which also contribute to offering job opportunities and empowering women.

Must-read recommendations

• The climate crisis is making extreme weather events more severe and frequent in East Africa, costing the region 2 to 4% of its annual GDP between 2020 and 2022, found a new report from Oxfam . At the same time, climate-related development finance for the region remains insufficient at only $2.4 billion in 2021.
• Equality is key. In fact, when economies grow without progress in equality, hunger increases, according to new research by CARE . Most importantly, investing in gender equality appears foundational to improving global food security.
• The world is building back weaker, with the most vulnerable being hit hardest by the global food crisis. The latest data unveiled by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) points to economic slowdown and rising inequalities. Policy changes are needed to make sure no one is left behind.
• A recent study from CARE analyzing IPC through sex-disaggregated data in Somalia, showed how inequalities both shaped the food crisis and the differential experiences of men and women, but also demonstrated shifting gender dynamics, with the crisis expanding women’s economic role in the household.
• We are off-track on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, but more worryingly, we are seeing stagnation or even reversal of progress on hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity, showed the 联合国粮农组织 progress report on food and agriculture-related SDGs.

This is just a summary of the newsletter we issue in partnership with the Global Network Against Food Crises . Download the full update here.