Why Is Global Hunger on the Continuous Rise?

World hunger is a serious concern that is taking over the world rapidly. The new report by the United Nations unveils that the number of people that are facing hunger worldwide has gone to 783 million which is the highest level in the last 28 years. 

The report found that the number of people facing hunger has increased by 122 million since 2019. The report also adds that the world is out of track to meet the sustainable goal of ending hunger by 2030.

The UN states “The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World revealed that between 691 and 783 million people faced hunger in 2022, with a mid-range of 735 million, representing an increase of 122 million people compared to 2019. It also adds up to a grim warning, potentially jeopardizing the Sustainable Development Goal of ending hunger.”

783 million people faced hunger in 2022 globally – 122 million more than in 2019 – due to the pandemic, weather shocks and conflicts, including the war in Ukraine.

Latest UN report says urgent action is needed to achieve #ZeroHunger. https://t.co/JBvLs6Fh6K via @WFP #SOFI2023 pic.twitter.com/p6UHFS9LNm

— United Nations (@UN) July 12, 2023

The UN report also mentions that there is a need to implement major changes so that “Sustainable Development Goals” can be saved. The major causes of this increase can be attributed to a number of factors, including the global pandemic COVID-19, the war in Ukraine, and climate change.

“As many as 783 million people faced hunger worldwide in 2022 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, repeated weather shocks and conflicts, including in Ukraine, according to a study launched by five United Nations agencies on Wednesday,” the UN mentions.

The pandemic has disrupted food supply chains and was a significant factor in job losses. The war in Ukraine has further added to the situation by increasing food prices. Climate change is also making it more difficult for farmers to grow crops, as extreme weather events become more frequent.

UN Secretary, General,  António Guterres said “Overall, we need an intense and immediate global effort to rescue the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We must build resilience against the crises and shocks that drive food insecurity – from conflict to climate.”

Hunger has grown significantly in parts of Western Asia, the Caribbean and across Africa. The UN states that “one in five people — more than twice the global average — faced hunger.” 

Source: The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 

If the current situation persists, it is projected that nearly 600 million people will be chronically undernourished by 2030.

The report also discovered that a staggering 29.6% of the global population, or around 2.4 billion people, did not have constant access to food. This means that they were deprived of three meals. In addition, over 900 million people faced severe food insecurity.

In 2022, 148 million children under the age of 5 (22.3%) were stunted, meaning they were too short for their age. Another 45 million (6.8%) were wasted, meaning they were too thin for their height. And 37 million (5.6%) were overweight, meaning they had too much body fat for their age.

Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director stated: “Malnutrition is a major threat to children’s survival, growth and development. 

“The scale of the nutrition crisis demands a stronger response focused on children, including prioritizing access to nutritious and affordable diets and essential nutrition services, protecting children and adolescents from nutrient-poor, ultra-processed foods, and strengthening food and nutrition supply chains including for fortified and therapeutic foods for children,” she added.

To conclude, there is no easy solution to the problem of global hunger. But, there are various things that can be implemented to address the issue and improve the current scenario. 

The methods that can be implemented include investing in agriculture and rural development, providing social safety nets to help the poor and vulnerable, addressing conflict and instability, and reducing the effects of climate change. Everyone needs to take action to end global hunger.