United Nation on Global Hunger Crisis:ECONOMY
News:
Recently, the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI)
report was published by five United Nations specialised agencies, showing
chronic hunger remained high and healthy food was out of reach of many people.
Key
Findings of the Report
- Global Hunger Figures: Approximately 733
million people faced hunger in 2023. To put that in perspective,
it’s equivalent to one in eleven people globally.
- Future
Projection: The report warned that with
ongoing trends, about 582 million people are projected to
suffer chronic undernourishment by the end of the decade, with half of
this population in Africa.
- Regional Variations
- Africa:
The percentage of the population facing hunger continues to rise,
reaching 20.4%. In Africa, the situation is even more
critical, where one in five people experienced hunger during the same
period.
- Asia:
While hunger levels remain stable at 8.1%, this still represents a
significant challenge because Asia is home to more than half of the
world’s undernourished population.
- Latin
America: Encouragingly, progress is visible
here, with hunger levels at 6.2%.
Global Hunger Index 2023
·
India faces significant challenges in
ensuring food security for its population.
·
According to the Global Hunger Index
(GHI), which measures hunger levels in countries, India’s score has been a
cause for concern. As of the most recent data available (2023) India
has ranked India 111 among 125 nations, categorising India’s severity of
hunger as ‘serious’.
·
Indicators For GHI are Undernourishment,
Child Stunting, Child Wasting, and Child Mortality.
- Impact of Urbanization: Urbanisation,
which was once thought to blur the lines between rural and urban food
accessibility, is now drastically reshaping food systems. It affects the
availability and affordability of healthy diets.
- Setback in Progress: Unfortunately,
progress in the fight against global hunger has suffered a setback
of 15 years, with levels of undernourishment comparable to
those seen in 2008-2009. It means that despite our
efforts, millions of people still go hungry.
- COVID-19 and Ongoing Effects: The
enduring effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to complicate the
hunger scenario. The report hints at what hunger might look like by 2030,
considering these ongoing challenges.
- Countries
are falling significantly short of achieving Sustainable
Development Goal (SDG) 2: Zero Hunger by 2030.
- Beyond Hunger (Food
Insecurity): Access to adequate food remains
elusive for billions. In 2023, 2.33 billion people globally faced moderate
or severe food insecurity.
- Among
them, over 864 million experienced severe food insecurity—going without
food for an entire day or more.
- These
numbers have stubbornly persisted since 2020, especially in Africa, where
58% of the population faces moderate or severe food insecurity.
- According to UNICEF,
almost 8 million children under the age of 5 in
15 crisis-hit countries are at risk of death due to severe
wasting—a condition where children become dangerously thin for their
height. This crisis is exacerbated by factors such as conflict,
climate change, and economic instability.
Related Government Steps
- India’s National Family Health Survey
(NFHS) data shows positive trends in
child stunting, wasting, and underweight percentages. These improvements
reflect the impact of programs like the Integrated Child
Development Services and the mid-day meal program.
- Natural Calamities and Food Security: During
calamities like droughts, food production decreases, leading to shortages
and price hikes. Some individuals may struggle to afford food, potentially
resulting in starvation.
- Historical examples, such as the
devastating Bengal Famine of 1943, highlight the severity of food crises
during widespread disasters.
- The government has also taken
critical steps to enhance food security, including through an
India-wide Targeted Public Distribution System, a National
Nutrition Mission and the National Food Security Act, and emergency
assistance during the pandemic demonstrate the government’s
commitment to food security.
Source: https://www.newsonair.gov.in/un-report-global-hunger-crisis-deepens-targets-for-2030-eradication-goal-under-threat/