Biotech Updates

108 Million People Face Severe Acute Food Insecurity – Report

April 12, 2017

Amidst massive and collective efforts of international organizations to address food challenges, around 108 million people in 48 food-crisis countries are at risk or were in severe acute food insecurity in 2016, according to the Global Report on Food Crises 2017. These data show a significant increase from 80 million people in 2015. The results of the report were computed using several measurement methodologies and were produced through the collaboration between the European Union and USAID/FEWSNET, regional food security institutions together with UN agencies including the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Food Programme, and UNICEF.

The dramatic increase in food-crisis individuals reflects the trouble that they face in terms of accessing food due to conflict, record-high food prices in local markets, and extreme weather conditions such as drought and erratic rainfall caused by El Niño. In 9 out of 10 worst humanitarian crises, civil conflict was found to be the driving force, indicating a strong link between peace and food security.

Read the report for more details.