People facing food shortages set to double in 2020
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The number of people facing acute food insecurity and shortage stands to rise to 265 million in 2020, up by 130 million from the 135 million in 2019, as a result of the economic impact of COVID-19, according to a World Food Programme (WFP) projection. The estimate was announced alongside the release of the Global Report on Food Crises, produced by UN’s WFP and 15 other humanitarian and development partners.
In this context, it is vital that food assistance programme be maintained, including WFP’s own programmes which offer a lifeline to almost 100 million vulnerable people globally.
The majority of people suffering acute food insecurity in 2019 were in countries affected by conflict (77 million), climate change (34 million) and economic crises (24 million people). (source: Global Report on Food Crises).
WFP’s Senior Economist, Arif Husain said: “COVID-19 is potentially catastrophic for millions who are already hanging by a thread. It is a hammer blow for millions more who can only eat if they earn a wage. Lockdowns and global economic recession have already decimated their nest eggs. It only takes one more shock – like COVID-19 – to push them over the edge. We must collectively act now to mitigate the impact of this global catastrophe.”
Before the onset of the pandemic, the WFP had estimated that it will require more than US $10 billion to fully fund all its operations in more than 80 countries around the world in 2020.
