Over 280 million people in 59 countries experiencing high levels of acute hunger by Global Network Against Food Crises   Apr. 2024   Dangerous levels of acute hunger affected at least 281.6 million people last year – the fifth year in a row that food insecurity has worsened – heightening growing fears of famine and “widespread death” from Gaza to Sudan and beyond.   According to the latest Global Report on Food Crises, more than one in five people in 59 countries faced acute food insecurity in 2023.   “When we talk about acute food insecurity, we are talking about hunger so severe that it poses an immediate threat to people's livelihoods and lives. This is hunger that threatens to slide into famine and cause widespread death,” said Dominique Burgeon, Director of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Liaison Office in Geneva.   Food crises escalated alarmingly in 2023, the report’s authors noted, citing particular concerns over Gaza and Sudan today “where people are clearly dying of hunger”, said Gian Carlo Cirri, WFP Director, Geneva office.   After nearly seven months of conflict in Gaza, “people cannot meet even the most basic, food needs. They have exhausted all coping strategies. They are destitute and clearly some are dying of hunger,” Mr. Cirri said.   "The only way to halt the famine is to ensure daily deliveries of food supplies in a very short time. Like tomorrow, we really need to significantly increase our food supplies. This means rolling out massive and consistent food assistance in conditions that allow humanitarian staff and supplies to move freely and for affected people to access safely the assistance.”   “We are getting closer by the day to a famine situation. We estimate 30 per cent of children below the age of two are now acutely malnourished or wasted and 70 per cent of the population in the north is facing catastrophic hunger,” WFP’s Mr. Cirri said. “There is reasonable evidence that all three famine thresholds – food insecurity, malnutrition, mortality – will be passed in the next six weeks.”   On Sudan, the UN report notes that 20.3 million people – or 42 per cent of the population – struggled to find enough to eat last year, after conflict erupted in April. This represents the highest number of people in the world facing “emergency” levels of acute food insecurity, or phase four, in line with the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification warning scale, where phase five (IPC5) indicates the highest level of danger.   The report also warned that people in South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Somalia and Mali likely endured the worst levels of food insecurity – IPC 5 – in 2023.   Data was not available for some countries where there have been enduring fears over food crises, including Ethiopia, the report’s authors noted, while also pointing out that in Haiti, thousands of people were identified as IPC5 from September 2022 to February 2023.   39 countries faced emergency – IPC4 – levels of acute food insecurity last year, including Sudan, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Yemen.   “Households in this severe situation face large food gaps, which are either reflected in high acute malnutrition rates and excess mortality,” the Global Report on Food Crises noted.   Children and women are among those at the forefront of the hunger crises, with over 36 million children under 5 years of age acutely malnourished across 32 countries, the report shows. Acute malnutrition worsened among people displaced because of conflict and disasters in 2023.   Drivers of food crises   Intensifying conflict and insecurity, the impacts of economic shocks, and the effects of extreme weather events are continuing to drive acute food insecurity. These interlinked drivers are exacerbating food systems fragility, rural marginalization, poor governance, and inequality, and lead to massive displacement of populations globally. The protection situation of displaced population is additionally impacted by food insecurity.   Conflict remained the primary driver affecting 20 countries with nearly 135 million people in acute food insecurity – almost half of the global number. The Sudan faced the largest deterioration due to conflict, with 8.6 million more people facing high levels of acute food insecurity as compared with 2022.   Extreme weather events were the primary drivers in 18 countries where over 77 million people faced high levels of acute food insecurity, up from 12 countries with 57 million people in 2022. In 2023, the world experienced its hottest year on record and climate related shocks impacted populations, with episodes of severe floods, storms, droughts, wildfires, and pest and disease outbreaks.   Economic shocks primarily affected 21 countries where around 75 million people were facing high levels of acute food insecurity, due to their high dependency on imported food and agricultural inputs, persisting macroeconomic challenges, including currency depreciation, high prices and high debt levels.   Tackling food crises requires urgent long-term national and international investment to boost agricultural and rural development alongside greater crisis preparedness and critical lifesaving assistance at scale, where people need it most.   Peace and prevention must also become an integral part of the longer-term food systems transformation. Without this, people will continue to face a lifetime of hunger and the most vulnerable will starve.   Since 2023, needs have outpaced available resources. Humanitarian operations are now desperately overstretched, with many being forced to scale-down and further cut support to the most vulnerable.   More equitable and effective global economic governance is imperative and must be matched with government led plans that seek to reduce and end hunger.   The Global Network Against Food Crises urgently calls for a transformative approach that integrates peace, prevention and development action alongside at-scale emergency efforts to break the cycle of acute hunger which remains at unacceptably high levels.   http://www.fsinplatform.org/report/global-report-food-crises-2024/ Visit the related web page
	Global Humanitarian Overview 2024 by United Nations News, agencies   27 Feb. 2024   WFP Global Operational Response Plan: Update #10 – February 2024   This report provides an analysis of food security and evolving needs and an update on World Food Programme’s response and priorities.   The convergence of multiple crises – conflict, extreme climate patterns and economic shocks – is driving hunger, eroding livelihoods and entrenching vulnerabilities especially in the hardest hit food crisis countries.   This comes at a time when global demand for urgent humanitarian and development assistance remains significantly high, whereas funding levels of WFP have returned to pre-pandemic levels, following the outlier year 2022 generous donations.   More than ever, WFP is undertaking efforts to navigate this challenging humanitarian space by optimizing its available resources. WFP continues to prioritize the most vulnerable people with lifesaving assistance in the operations of the highest concern – the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Sahel, Haiti, Sudan regional crisis, Palestine, Yemen and several others at risk of becoming ‘forgotten emergencies’.   Ending world hunger is one of the greatest challenges of our time; as many as 309 million people are facing acute levels of food insecurity in 2024 in the 72 countries with WFP operations and where data is available.   An estimated 42.3 million people across 45 countries will be in Emergency or worse levels of acute food insecurity in 2024. Without urgent life-saving action, these populations will be at risk of falling into catastrophe or famine conditions.   Globally, an estimated 45 million children under 5 were suffering from wasting. In 2024, the convergence of threats may further increase the number of children and pregnant and breastfeeding women affected by acute malnutrition.   Women and girls are bearing the brunt of the food crisis due to the social norms and structural barriers that limit their influence over the use of vital resources.   Between January and December 2023, WFP was able to reach an estimated 150 million people with food, cash and commodity vouchers. This is around 10 million fewer people reached than the same period in 2022. For 2024, WFP aims to reach 150 million people based on projected needs. WFP requires US$21.1 billion to meet food and nutrition needs this year.   http://www.wfp.org/publications/wfp-global-operational-response-plan-update-10-february-2024   Jan. 2024   Global Humanitarian Overview 2024. (OCHA)   On behalf of more than 1,900 humanitarian partners worldwide, the United Nations launched its global humanitarian appeal for 2024, calling for US$46.4 billion to help 180.5 million people with life-saving assistance and protection.   Armed conflicts, the climate emergency and collapsing economies are taking a devastating toll on the most vulnerable communities on all continents, resulting in catastrophic hunger, massive displacement and disease outbreaks.   One child in every five lives in, or has fled from, conflict zones in 2023. Some 258 million people face acute hunger. One in 73 people worldwide is displaced – a doubling in 10 years. And disease outbreaks are causing preventable deaths in all corners of the world.   “Humanitarians are saving lives, fighting hunger, protecting children, pushing back epidemics, and providing shelter and sanitation in many of the world’s most inhumane contexts. But the necessary support from the international community is not keeping pace with the needs,” said Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs.   “We thank all donors for their contributions this year - but it was just a third of what was needed. If we cannot provide more help in 2024, people will pay for it with their lives.”   Funding shortfalls in 2023 meant that humanitarian organizations reached less than two thirds of the people they aimed to assist.   The consequences are tragic: In Afghanistan, 10 million people lost access to food assistance between May and November. In Myanmar, more than half a million people were left in inadequate living conditions. In Yemen, more than 80 per cent of people targeted for assistance do not have proper water and sanitation. And in Nigeria, only 2 per cent of the women expecting sexual and reproductive health services and gender-based violence prevention received it.   Aid organizations have addressed this needs-and-resources gap in their 2024 response plans, which will have a more disciplined focus on the most urgent needs and will target fewer people: nearly 181 million next year compared to 245 million at the end of 2023. Organizations are also appealing for less money: $46.4 billion for 2024 compared to $56.7 billion at the end of the 2023 global appeal.   However, the ambition to reach all people in need has not changed, and the call to donors to fully fund all the response plans is as urgent as ever.   Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and UN Emergency Relief Coordinator (Extract):   "As enter 2024, almost 300 million people around the world are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection – 300 million people.   And we know the causes. New and resurgent conflicts around the world with deep and long-lasting consequences, almost none of which are resolved and become what we call intractable.   This year, we have seen the eruption of yet more brutal conflicts. In Sudan in April and, in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory in October, joining the myriad other unresolved conflicts that have kept millions of people in the state of prolonged need. A year ago Ukraine, Syria, Yemen to name only a few.   The global climate emergency has continued to spiral out of control. 2023 has been the hottest year on record. We have seen multiple concurrent climate disasters, from Tropical Cyclone Freddy in southern Africa to wildfires in Europe, and the other devastation wrought by storm Daniel in Libya. And we were lucky to escape famine in the Horn of Africa. More children are now are displaced by climate than by conflict.   Persistent unequal economic pressures, climate disasters, disease outbreaks and other factors are significant drivers of need. Across the world more people are displaced than at any time since the beginning of this century: One in every 73 people around the world, a ratio that has been doubled in more than 10 years.   In 2023, we received just over one third of the $57 billion required, making this the worst funding shortfall in years. The result is that many people, around 38 percent of those targeted through our emergency-specific plans in countries, did not get the humanitarian assistance we sought to provide. Throughout the year, humanitarian agencies had to make painful decisions, including cutting life-saving food, water and health programming.   The World Food Programme reports that for every one per cent cut in funding - 400,000 more people fall into serious food insecurity. And we would like to hope, to not continue this trend into next year.   If we are to overcome increasingly complex challenges to humanitarian action, which we will see in 2024 – it’s all of us, who need to come together to play our part. The most important role the international community can play in crises is to do everything possible to save lives, to reconfirm that we are, at our core, one humanity.   Joyce Msuya, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator:   The world is in the midst of one of the largest humanitarian crises of the modern era, with the devastation wrought by conflict, climate change and economic hardship fuelling unprecedented levels of suffering.   The number of people suffering acute food shortages caused mainly by climate-related disasters has doubled in the space of a year. The displacement crisis is now worse than any we have seen this century. And today’s conflicts are more intense than ever.   In the face of all of this, humanitarians around the world have continued to display astonishing levels of sacrifice, resolve and courage as they strive to reach people in their darkest hour.   In 2023, the humanitarian community helped 128 million people with some form of assistance. Unfortunately, donor funding this year fell far short of needs. As a result, humanitarian agencies have had to make increasingly painful decisions, cutting life-saving food, water and health programming, with devastating results for so many.   We cannot allow this trend to continue into next year. That’s why today – on behalf of more than 1,900 humanitarian partners, the majority of them local and national NGOs – we are urging donors to fully fund our appeal for 2024.   This money will provide a lifeline to 181 million people in 72 countries – men, women and children whose lives have been shattered by war, climate change, economic hardship and other disasters.   Although the amount we’re asking for is less than last year, this does not mean the global humanitarian situation has improved. It means we have had to focus our efforts on the people who face the greatest threat to their lives.   Dec. 2023   300 million people caught up in humanitarian crises will need urgent support in 2024 - CARE International & 14 International Non-Government organizations   The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has launched the Global Humanitarian Overview for 2024, which outlines the most pressing humanitarian needs around the globe and what will it take to respond to them. Some 300 million individuals face unbelievable suffering next year.   To ensure all people will receive the support they need and deserve, CARE International along with 14 other INGOs urges the international community to fully fund the response to all humanitarian crises and address the root causes that perpetuate them.   Joint NGO Statement:   Despite years of preventable suffering, human casualties and violence on a catastrophic scale, millions of forcibly displaced, massive and often deliberate destruction of homes, hospitals, schools and other critical civilian infrastructure, and increasingly, climate emergencies, there are no real and clear political resolutions to put an end to numerous crises.   As diverse NGOs delivering aid across multiple crises, in accordance with humanitarian principles, we bear witness to growing humanitarian needs and the tremendous suffering of millions of people. We also witness the incredible resilience and courage of communities to withstand shocks and rebuild their lives, if adequately, timely and equitably supported.   Despite donor generosity, the funding of global appeals in 2023 amounted to only 35%, leaving millions exposed to hunger, diseases, and pervasive protection risks, bereft of essential services. In such scenarios, women and children are disproportionately affected, and hard-won development gains reversed.   Although we see ever escalating needs, the total number of People in Need outlined in the 2024 GHO was reduced by almost 64 million compared to 2023. This reduction is a result of “boundary setting” prioritisation that will effectively provide aid to some while denying it to others.   As the lifeline for many will be cut or reduced, protection risks, including the risk of sexual exploitation and abuse, will skyrocket. We warn of the risk of making People in Need invisible and recall our collective commitment to leave no one behind.   We value OCHA’s and various Humanitarian Country Teams efforts to prepare evidence-based appeals. But we also recognise constraints to conduct needs assessment in specific contexts and call for upholding an impartial needs based targeting approach, informed by age, gender, and disability disaggregated data, as well as by the views and priorities of affected people.   The international community must not let people down twice. It is already failing to address the root causes of conflicts, climate change, and other drivers of humanitarian needs.   Existing and new donors must fully fund the 2024 GHO, including the work of international, national and local NGOs who have demonstrated to be best placed to reach affected people.   We also urge development actors to play a more active role to bring in substantive and sustainable additional resources to work in strategic collaboration with humanitarian actors to reduce needs over time.   (Signed: ActionAid International, CARE International, Caritas Internationalis, Christian Aid, Danish Refugee Council, Feminist Humanitarian Network, Humanity & Inclusion – Handicap International Trocaire, INTERSOS, The Lutheran World Federation, Norwegian Refugee Council, OXFAM, Plan International, Save the Children, Trocaire, World Vision International)   Worsening hunger crisis requires global response across all sectors. (OCHA)   Hunger is not inevitable, but it is almost always man-made, driven by a combination of armed conflict, economic shocks, climate extremes, poverty and inequality. Today, poverty and inequality remain the largest drivers of chronic hunger, while armed conflict continues to be the biggest driver of acute hunger in the world. 117 million people were driven to hunger by conflict in 2022.   In recent years, climate-related weather extremes have also destroyed ecosystems and people’s livelihoods.   Global food insecurity has reached new heights, causing 258 million people in 2022 to face high levels of acute food insecurity in 58 countries. Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Nigeria and Yemen being amongst those countries worst affected.   In 2022, wasting threatened the lives of 45 million children under 5 (or 7 per cent of all children). Women and people living in rural areas are amongst the hardest hit by food insecurity.   The outlook for 2023-2024 remains serious and likely to deteriorate further in the absence of concerted international support. Looking at 2023, as many as 333 million people are estimated to be acutely food insecure in the 78 countries with World Food Programme (WFP) operations and where data is available.   By April 2024, populations in 18 out of 22 countries or territories, identified as Hunger Hotspots, are likely to face a significant deterioration in acute food insecurity levels, with Burkina Faso, Mali, the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), South Sudan and Sudan of high concern.   In these countries, people either already face, or are projected to face, starvation or are at risk of deterioration towards catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity (IPC/CH 5).   Persistently high food prices are adding extra pressure to food insecurity worldwide. Although global food prices have fallen from their peak in 2023, they remain well above pre-pandemic levels.   Domestic food prices increased in all 58 countries/territories with food crises by the end of the 2022, with food inflation of over 10 per cent in 38 of them, and making essential purchases unaffordable for many people.   The war in Ukraine also caused fertilizer and freight costs to surge, placing additional pressure on food prices by increasing the cost of production and transport.   Humanitarians have also faced increasing financial pressure in their operational costs associated with insecurity and volatility in areas of operation, the higher cost of commodities and cost of food, fuel and transport. For example, the World Food Programme’s current operational costs are, on average, 27 per cent higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic   http://humanitarianaction.info/document/global-humanitarian-overview-2024/ http://www.wfp.org/stories/2023-pictures-ration-cuts-threaten-catastrophe-millions-facing-hunger http://www.actionagainsthunger.org/press-releases/global-hunger-funding-gap-hit-65-percent-for-neediest-countries/ http://www.savethechildren.net/news/2023-review-nearly-16000-children-day-plunged-hunger-top-10-worsening-food-crises http://www.care-international.org/news/300-million-people-caught-humanitarian-crises-will-need-urgent-support-2024 http://www.unicef.org/emergencies/launch-2024-humanitarian-appeal http://humanitarianaction.info/document/global-humanitarian-overview-2024/article/worsening-hunger-crisis-requires-global-response-across-all-sectors Visit the related web page
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