Recently, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) jointly released a new edition of the Early Warning Report on Severe Food Insecurity in Hunger Hotspots, which reveals a worrying trend: over the next six months (November 2024 to May 2025), 22 countries and territories across the globe are likely to experience a continued deterioration in severe food insecurity.
The UN report states that 22 countries and regions around the world will face severe food insecurity in the next six months, an increase from the previous number. These areas include the Horn of Africa, Yemen, Afghanistan, Syria, Haiti and others, and involve millions of people. Without immediate humanitarian action and concerted efforts to overcome severe access constraints and resolve ongoing conflicts in these “hunger hotspots”, famine on the ground could be further exacerbated.
Key Factors in the Food Crisis
The number of hungry people is increasing globally as a result of multiple factors, including conflict, economic instability and climate shocks. There are currently about 735 million hungry people globally, up from 613 million in 2019. This increasing trend, if sustained, will have a serious impact on the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal of eradicating hunger by 2030. The report emphasizes that conflict, climate change, economic crisis and the COVID-19 epidemic are the main factors contributing to worsening food insecurity.
Conflict: Conflict continues to be the main factor contributing to the sudden onset of food insecurity for nearly 135 million people (almost half of the total) in 20 countries. Sudan faces the most severe deterioration due to conflict, with 8.6 million more people facing sudden food insecurity in the country compared to 2022.
Extreme weather events: Extreme weather events are the main cause of severe and sudden food insecurity for more than 77 million people in 18 countries, compared to 57 million people in 12 countries in 2022. 2023 was the hottest year on record, with severe floods, storms, droughts, wildfires, and outbreaks of pests and diseases, among other climatic shocks, having a severe impact on the world.
Economic Crisis: The economic crisis has affected 21 countries, with about 75 million people facing severe and sudden food insecurity due to their high dependence on food imports and agricultural inputs, as well as ongoing macroeconomic challenges such as currency depreciation, high prices and high debt levels.
Impact of the Food Crisis
Economic Impact
Global Food Price Volatility: 2024 Global Food Price Index (FFPI) shows that the global food price index reached 124.4 in September, a 3% increase from the previous year, the largest increase since March 2022.1 The global food price index has risen by 3% from the previous year. This price increase has a disproportionate impact on low-income countries, increasing the difficulty and cost of accessing food in these countries.
Increased Food Import Bill: According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the global food import bill is projected to top $2 trillion in 2024, an increase of 2.5% year-on-year. This represents a significant economic burden for developing countries that rely on food imports.
Social Impacts
Increased Hunger and Malnutrition: Some 733 million people worldwide face hunger in 2023, equivalent to 1 in 11 people globally going without food. The increase in this number disproportionately affects children and women, with more than 36 million children under the age of five suffering from sudden onset malnutrition in 32 countries.
Social instability and political unrest: Food shortages and price increases can lead to social discontent and unrest, especially in areas where political and social tensions already exist.
Environmental Impacts
Climate change and extreme weather events: 2023 is the hottest year on record, and climate shocks such as severe floods, storms, droughts, wildfires, and pest and disease outbreaks are having a severe impact globally. These extreme weather events not only reduce food production, but also increase uncertainty and risk in food production.
Agricultural productivity declines: Extreme weather events due to climate change have had a severe impact on agricultural production, especially in countries that depend on agricultural production.
International Cooperation
Global Crisis Response: In the face of a global food crisis, the international community needs to take urgent action to provide food aid, restore an environment of peace and security, upgrade agricultural technology and improve the efficiency of global food allocation.
Information Sharing and Transfer of Expertise: International cooperation is particularly important in coordinating logistics, reducing obstacles, and improving supply chain sustainability.
In the face of this global challenge, the report calls on the international community to take urgent action, including the provision of food aid, the restoration of a peaceful and secure environment, the upgrading of agricultural technology and the improvement of the efficiency of global food allocation. Such measures were crucial to reducing hunger hotspots and addressing global food security.
