Archive for category: Food Insecurity

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How Student Unions Address Food Insecurity in Victoria

Food Insecurity in Victoria
Many students in Australia face food insecurity, and access to healthy, nutritious and affordable food can be affected by broader economic disadvantages. In Victoria, student unions and universities offer practical support through food supplies and free meals. The University of Melbourne‘s student-led research also shows why these services matter to students’ well-being and ability to study. Here’s how student unions are addressing food insecurity in Victoria.

Victoria’s Food Insecurity Challenge

A 2014 pilot study at Victorian universities reported that 48% of participating students experienced food insecurity, including 30% experiencing hunger. The University of Melbourne’s 2021 Talking Hunger report cites that earlier study; its own project used student co-researchers to interview other students about their experiences. The older survey figures should not be treated as a current estimate for every Victorian university.

Wider poverty provides important context. In analysis published in 2023, the Victorian Council of Social Service reported that more than 800,000 Victorians, including 216,000 children, lived in significant economic disadvantage — 13.3% of the state’s population. These figures describe the wider state population, not the prevalence of poverty or food insecurity among university students.

The Talking Hunger project documented how food insecurity could restrict students’ social interactions and create embarrassment or shame. It recommended making food security part of student well-being policy, including affordable meals and greater student involvement in responses.

Uneven Experiences

Food insecurity in Victoria does not affect all students equally. A 2018 Farrago article, drawing on the 2017 Universities Australia Student Finances Survey, reported particular hardship among Indigenous and regional students. It included an Indigenous student’s account that they “do not eat much anymore.” This illustrates an individual experience within the survey reporting, rather than a finding about all Indigenous students at the University of Melbourne.

A Practical Response

The University of Melbourne Student Union’s Union Mart offers free food, drinks and household products. Its service page describes a no-questions-asked honesty system and says it aims to cater to a range of diets. In 2026, the service expanded to include frozen meals, with FareShare meals listed as available during Union Mart hours. Students use an allocation of points to choose the products they need, subject to stock and product limits.

Other Victorian universities also offer food relief. Victoria University has partnered with SecondBite, a food-rescue organization, to provide free, healthy frozen meals for students to eat at home. The available meals vary with the ingredients and stock supplied.

Looking Ahead

A meal program alone cannot undo the economic disadvantages that contribute to food insecurity in Victoria. However, accessible food relief can form part of a broader response that takes students’ different circumstances into account. Union Mart and Victoria University’s meal partnership offer practical examples of support, alongside the need to involve students in decisions about food security.

– Hashir Hameedi

Hashir is based in Australia and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Green Hydrogen to Green Harvest in Namibia

Green Hydrogen in Namibia
Facing persistent challenges of poverty and food insecurity, Namibia is implementing industrialization and agricultural expansion initiatives to foster economic development and improve food access for its population. Namibia has a population of approximately 3.1 million, with 46% of residents living outside urban areas. These less-dense areas often struggle with food production because of the harsh and unstable desert climate, infertile soil, limited access to agricultural supplies and severe economic inequality. These challenges have made food insecurity an ongoing struggle for many Namibians.

In 2024, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) reported that 1.15 million people faced severe acute food insecurity and required urgent action to reduce food gaps and protect livelihoods. Cropping conditions in Namibia are generally poor—marked by erratic rainfall, frequent floods and droughts. Namibia is also highly dependent on imports, leaving the country vulnerable to external price increases. The cost of imported goods, food, fuel and agricultural supplies has made it expensive for local farmers and businesses to obtain fertilizer and meet agricultural demands, increasing the need for domestic solutions.

Saving Agricultural Production

Over the past five years, Namibia has become a hub for green industrialization as businesses and organizations tap into the country’s solar, wind and biomass resources. The Dâures Green Hydrogen Village is an agricultural initiative spearheading greenhouse production and green hydrogen to support agriculture, food security and community livelihoods on a 15,000-hectare site in the Erongo Region. The Dâures Green Hydrogen Village was established in 2023, and its pilot phase commenced shortly thereafter, in 2025. Throughout this period, the initiative required substantial community collaboration, creating employment opportunities for 376 Namibians and 23 small and medium enterprises. Additionally, the project engaged research partners from the University of Namibia and the University of Stuttgart, who participated in on-site research activities with both Namibian and international students, focusing on sustainable energy through green hydrogen.

Green hydrogen in Namibia is produced using renewable energy, distinguishing it from conventional hydrogen production that relies on fossil fuels. Its versatility makes it a clean energy carrier with the potential to reduce carbon emissions within agriculture. By leveraging green hydrogen for fertilizer production, energy supply and resource management, the agricultural sector could reduce its environmental impact while strengthening domestic food production. The organization has already reported success in its agricultural endeavors. The facility has harvested cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers, with produce sold to local retailers in the Erongo Region.

Managing Food Insecurity

Namibia’s food security situation improved in 2025 compared with the previous year, largely because of better rainfall, crop production, rangeland conditions and coordinated assistance. IPC reported that from July to September 2025, approximately 456,000 people experienced high levels of acute food insecurity, a sharp decrease from 1.15 million during the same period in 2024. IPC credits this improvement to “above-average rainfall during the 2024/25 season, increased crop production, improved rangeland conditions, and coordinated interventions by the government and development partners.”

However, food insecurity remains a concern in the country, with many areas still facing a food crisis. The IPC projected a deterioration during the October 2025-March 2026 lean season. The country forecasts an increase in grocery prices while food production decreases. The decline is projected to affect 612,000 Namibians (20%) already experiencing a food crisis. This worsening is attributed to the government’s discontinuation of the countrywide drought relief in August 2025, reduced labor opportunities, high unemployment and poor livestock conditions in drought-prone areas.

The Comeback

The Dâures Green Hydrogen Village aims to combat food insecurity through green production. Its goal is to produce 18 tonnes of green hydrogen in Namibia and 100 tonnes of green ammonia over the course of the project. Green ammonia will be used to produce fertilizer locally, reducing reliance on imported agricultural products. The project aims to reduce dependence on imported fertilizer and support lower-emission agricultural production. As of June 2026, the United Nations reported that the facility was producing approximately 40,000 cucumbers each month, demonstrating the potential for food production even in one of the world’s most challenging agricultural environments.

As the initiative continues to expand in phases, its ultimate goal is to develop Africa’s first green hydrogen village on a semi-industrial scale, thereby establishing a model for a ‘green circular economy’ and green industrialization. If successful, Dâures’ progress could represent a transformative step for Namibia’s agricultural sector, providing evidence that integrating green hydrogen technology can substantially reduce carbon emissions, enhance local fertilizer production and lessen dependence on imports. This approach may not only improve Namibia’s food self-sufficiency and resilience to climate variability but also serve as a replicable blueprint for other regions across Africa facing similar environmental and economic challenges.

– Ashley Woody

Ashley is based in Atlanta, GA, USA and focuses on Good News, Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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How Mutual Aid in Gaza is Helping Combat Famine

Mutual Aid in Gaza
After three years of conflict, families in Gaza continue to face severe difficulties accessing food, clean water and other necessities. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) reported that more than 1.2 million people, or 59% of the population, faced crisis-level or worse acute food insecurity between mid-April and the end of June 2026. It projected that more than 1.4 million people could face those conditions between July and December 2026. Although increased assistance has improved conditions since late 2025, the gains remain fragile.

Alongside established humanitarian agencies, grassroots mutual aid groups are helping families meet immediate needs. Reviving Gaza and Zahrat Alhanun Mutual Aid are two examples of community-led efforts to provide food, water and other essentials.

What is Mutual Aid?

Mutual aid describes people organizing directly to meet shared needs, often through local relationships and volunteer networks. In emergencies, this can mean identifying households that lack essentials, raising money and arranging for supplies to reach those households. Mutual aid is not a substitute for large-scale humanitarian access, but it can complement broader relief efforts by drawing on community knowledge.

Reviving Gaza

Reviving Gaza is a grassroots initiative associated with Palestinian activist Ghassan Ghaben and volunteers working in Gaza. Its fundraising campaign describes efforts to deliver drinking water, hot meals and food parcels to displaced families, including those in camps not consistently reached by other aid providers.

The campaign explains how donations can support specific needs. It lists $5 as an illustrative cost for a hot meal and $300 for a truck carrying approximately 4,000 liters of water. Those amounts are fundraising examples, not independently audited delivery totals. Another fundraiser for the initiative describes an ambition to distribute hundreds of thousands of liters of clean drinking water.

The organization’s work has also been discussed outside its own fundraising pages. Ghaben spoke about Reviving Gaza during an October 2024 University of Florence event on the water crisis in Palestine. The project illustrates how volunteers with close ties to affected communities can help direct donations toward immediate needs.

Zahrat Alhanun Mutual Aid

Another initiative is Zahrat Alhanun Mutual Aid (ZAMA), a volunteer collective of Massachusetts Institute of Technology students and alumni working with students, teachers, medical professionals and community contacts in Gaza. The group says it has supported families and students since January 2025.

According to ZAMA, its partners in Gaza identify people needing assistance and arrange direct support. The group prioritizes babies, older adults, people with disabilities and those who are ill. The needs it lists include food, infant formula, diapers, blankets, clothing, tents, tarps and medical or educational supplies.

ZAMA says its volunteer team retains no portion of donations and works through a U.S.-registered fiscal sponsor. These are the organization’s own descriptions of its operating model; independently verified totals for the article’s previously reported Ramadan meal initiative were not available.

Grassroots Aid and the Wider Humanitarian Response

Both groups show how community-led fundraising can respond to urgent household needs. Their work takes place against a much larger humanitarian challenge. The British Red Cross reported in October 2026 that access restrictions, shortages and widespread unemployment continued to prevent many families from obtaining sufficient food, despite some improvement in aid deliveries.

Mutual aid can help individual households obtain food, water and shelter materials, but it cannot by itself resolve the scale of Gaza’s food insecurity. Sustained humanitarian access, functioning markets and long-term recovery remain essential. In the meantime, groups such as Reviving Gaza and ZAMA demonstrate the practical value of community connections and volunteer-led assistance.

– Lisa Jane Bryant

Lisa is based in Glasgow, Scotland and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Helping Survivors of the Colombian Earthquake

Colombian Earthquake
On August 10th, 2026, a large 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit the country of Colombia, causing the destruction of more than 10,500 homes on the western parts. The earthquake killed at least 281 people and injured thousands more with many others stuck under the rubble. First responders and authorities have worked tirelessly to search for and rescue any struggling survivors trapped under the rubble, their efforts focusing on the missing people especially because of the situation’s time sensitivity. Despite the dire situation due to the Colombian earthquake, NGOs and humanitarian organizations are actively helping vulnerable communities.

Situation Overview

The 7.4 Colombian earthquake struck shortly after 7:30 pm (GMT-5), shaking the whole country, including its neighbor Ecuador. During this, apartment blocks were toppled and both schools and homes were damaged as people rushed out into the streets to escape the collapsing debris. From recent reports, 281 people were killed (many of them in Cali, Colombia’s third most populated city), more than 3,900 injured – though both numbers are rising as more information is revealed – and about 379 people are estimated to be missing according to the data.

The earthquake has also worsened the people’s quality of life: food insecurity is higher with 31% of the population in Chocó and 29% in Valle del Cauca going hungry as a combination of the disaster and displacement. To compare, the country had 37% of households were suffering from food insecurity before the earthquake hit, making the pre-existing issues worse. Their access to medication and medical help has also been affected due to more than 84 hospitals being damaged in the wake of the earthquake, leaving medical staff scrambling to provide care for many of the injured victims. Shelter has been another point of concern due to the mass distraction of hundreds of houses.

NGOs Working in Colombia

There are several NGOs and other humanitarian organizations that are working in Colombia to aid vulnerable people. These include:

Food for the Poor

Food for the Poor is a nonprofit organization that aims to bring urgent relief to vulnerable families experiencing poverty. Since its founding in 1982, its services include providing food, clean water, health care and shelter for people in poverty. It provided 943 million meals to Colombians between 2019 and 2023 and distributed $3.2 million worth of aid during that same time frame.

The World Food Program (WFP)

Speaking of providing meals, WFP is one of the world’s largest humanitarian organizations that focuses on helping and providing food for people during emergencies, such as conflict, disasters and impacts from particularly bad weather. WFP has been working in Colombia as recently as from January 2026 to June 2026, providing food for at least 260,000 across the country and gave cash-based transfers to vulnerable communities experiencing conflict and climate shock. This included 75,000 children and reached 1.2 million schools. After the earthquake, it has focused its services on helping the survivors of the earthquake.

Looking Ahead

The Colombian earthquake has destroyed buildings, killed 281 people, and injured many others. However, numerous NGOs are ready to assist, and there are many ways to support the victims.

– Michalitsa Kontogianni

Michalitsa is based in Washington, DC and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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UN Funding is Helping Farmers Fight Food Insecurity in Lebanon

Food Insecurity in LebanonSince the onset of warfare in the Middle East, Lebanese farmers have noticed environmental consequences. These consequences worsened when Israel and Lebanon entered direct warfare in March 2026. Israeli forces have used white phosphorus munitions in areas of southern Lebanon, including the Tyre district, and Lebanese authorities have accused Israel of spraying glyphosate herbicide — banned in both Lebanon and the European Union — on farmland along the country’s southern border, calling it a violation of Lebanese sovereignty and an environmental and health crime.

War in Lebanon has subjected Lebanese land to munitions and other warfare tools that damage the land and its agricultural capacity. In total, approximately 56,264 hectares of agricultural land in Lebanon have been impacted, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture. This includes the destruction of 1,617 farms, 793 greenhouses, 26 packing centers, 38 produce collection centers, six carob presses, 57 olive presses, 85 food animal product processing facilities, 67 plant product processing facilities and 22 plastic shelters for fishermen.

Poverty in Lebanon

This agricultural devastation subjects more Lebanese people, especially farmers, to the consequences of poverty. People rely on the land for food, financial support, and their livelihoods, making its destruction a massive contribution to increasing global poverty. Lebanon faced high poverty rates before the conflict, but according to the World Bank, poverty has more than tripled over the past decade, and 44% of Lebanon’s population now lives in poverty.

Further, according to the World Bank’s “Lebanon Poverty and Equity Assessment 2024 – Weathering a Protracted Crisis,” 73% of Lebanese live in multidimensional poverty, and the growing food crises and insecurity from the war have only heightened this. Many households, when surveyed, admitted to adopting financial coping strategies such as cutting back on food expenses or reducing health expenditures, both of which are likely to have long-term bodily consequences. The persistence of militarism in and around Lebanon will only continue to worsen food insecurity and endanger the livelihoods of farmers like Haydar. However, efforts by certain aid organizations to protect and develop farmland offer a means to reduce the impacts of war.

The United Nations Emergency Assistance

Lebanon’s Ministry of Agriculture, the World Food Programme and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization have helped launch a program to assist with heightened food insecurity in Lebanon and reduce poverty. The program focuses on helping the 1.24 million Lebanese who face acute food insecurity by helping farmers recover from the effects of war. In its initial phase, the program aims to support 2,000 conflict-affected households through cash-based assistance, protecting both the farmers made vulnerable by war and those who rely on their produce for sustenance. The program will also work in cooperation with Lebanon’s governing systems, such as the National Farmers’ Registry and the Food and Agriculture Organization, to help reach farmers in need quickly, help rejuvenate the land and develop more effective agricultural techniques.

Looking to the Future

By placing agricultural resilience at the center of Lebanon’s national recovery, the program serves not only as an emergency response, but also as a strategic investment in long-term food security, rural economies and against future crises. It widens Lebanon’s shock-responsive net to help farmers and every person who needs food to survive, making the program both inclusive and future-oriented. In a nation where 44% of the population lives in poverty and suffers the consequences of war, this European Union-funded program offers hope and the potential to prevent food insecurity in Lebanon because helping farmers can help feed everyone.

– Aubrey Wallen

Aubrey is based in Alexandria, VA, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels

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Food Systems in Uganda in the Face of El Niño 

Food Systems in UgandaIn the most vulnerable parts of the world, any risk to food systems can mean catastrophic effects on the population’s health. As El Niño approaches, threatening difficult harvests, drought, floods and even further scarcity in vulnerable countries, East and Southern Africa are predicted as some of the most at-risk areas in the coming months and year. With funding diminishing, food systems in Uganda are under stress, but the country is taking matters into its own hands.

Uganda sits firmly in the list of most vulnerable populations in the world with 20.3% of people living below the poverty line. Alongside this, the country is home to the largest number of refugees in Africa. While food is scarce, external aid is shrinking, and the hot shadow of El Niño looms, Uganda has been working on its own solutions. Utilizing this large population of refugees, and with advanced planning, the country strives to combat poverty and create sustainable communities amidst rising temperatures. 

El Niño

El Niño is the warm phase of a natural climate pattern (El Niño-Southern Oscillation), the period of warming of the Pacific Ocean that affects weather around the globe. This isn’t a new occurrence, but it is one that affects vulnerable countries’ infrastructures, like food systems in Uganda, bringing drought in some locations and flooding in others. This year, however, the phenomenon may be much more dramatic than normal, with Ugandans feeling the effects until 2028.

Projections of food scarcity and impact on poverty amidst this occurrence highlights the most vulnerable countries. Uganda sits firmly in this list with its high poverty figures and number of refugees. Yet, external aid seems to be going in the wrong direction.

The Statistics and Funding

In affected areas, the World Bank predicts production of crops such as rice to fall by 20% to 50% in the coming year. Alongside this, the World Bank saw an increase in food price in low-income countries, as well as stating in their report that “global food and nutritional security is becoming more fragile.”

The situation may be worse than previous years, with predictions indicating that the 2026 El Niño will be the worst on record. The lack of funding to humanitarian aid accompanies this (the main global contributors, the U.K., the U.S. and Germany, have announced budget cuts), which leaves countries like Uganda in need of serious internal effort. The good news is that the country is rising to the challenge.

External Aid

With the recurring threats upon food systems in Uganda, the situation is one that has been planned for. Humanitarian groups such as the UN and World Food Programme (WFP) have seen these issues coming and have been fighting them for years. Although, while the WFP initially provided direct aid in the form of hot meals for the numerous refugees and vulnerable in Uganda, this system has been gradually diminishing since 2025 due to lack of funding. Now, humanitarian groups like the WFP have focused on how to aid food systems in Uganda, supporting a structure that can sustain and utilize the growing refugee population.

Internal Aid

In Nakivale, a refugee settlement in Uganda’s southwest, the ‘self-reliance model’ has been put in place with the aid, and to the benefit of its many refugees. Under Uganda’s own model, which has received praise for its progressive treatment of refugees, locals and refugees both learn skills that will aid in creating a sustainable food and social system going forward. The community learns about fishing, farming and financial strategies which, alongside planned financial aid from the WFP, helps to secure a more stable system that will fluctuate less, both in terms of rations and food prices, or external conditions arise, like the coming El Niño.

Uganda’s refugee model is paying off for the country. The model allows refugees the right to work, freedom of movement, property lease, trade, access education, health care and other social service. Under this structure, the self-reliance model is allowed to thrive and build a sustainable future, capable of combating threats to food systems and communities like the coming El Niño internally.

One refugee told the WFP how the program “taught us how to prepare for the day that cash assistance might stop…how we could stand on our own.” Another refugee, Sanyu Sylva, comments on the list of skills she has learnt and the conditions that will allow her to pass this knowledge onto others, creating a sustainable community.

Looking Ahead

While many countries address refugees as a strain on their infrastructure, Uganda is managing to provide aid and community for these groups and its own people through planning and collaboration. Such internal rallying in the face of funding cuts, alongside aid from devoted humanitarian groups may be the key to enduring hardships like the coming El Niño.

– Calvin Politi

Calvin is based in Edinburgh, Scotland and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Rebuilding the Table: Fighting Food Insecurity in Peru

Food Insecurity in PeruThe COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted food security in Peru, leaving many without reliable access to nutrition. Peru ranked as one of the countries hit hardest by the pandemic. By July 2022, the country saw nearly 6,500 deaths per million people, surpassing every other country, according to the World Bank. Food insecurity following the pandemic remains a significant concern, and efforts are underway to address it.

Efforts to Combat Hunger

Initially, Peru addressed hunger through Action Against Hunger. In May 2023, 16.6 million people faced food insecurity, meaning more than half of the population could not access a healthy diet, based on the State of Food Security and Nutrition (SOFI) 2022 report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). In Metropolitan Lima, around 80% of families experienced moderate or severe food insecurity, as reported by Action Against Hunger. Refugees and migrants are particularly vulnerable, with nearly 894,000 individuals affected, according to a 2026 ReliefWeb situation report.

By 2025, nearly 30.5% of the population experienced moderate or severe food insecurity. They lacked reliable access to enough food, facing reduced diet quality or sometimes going without eating. Rising prices have exacerbated the situation, forcing vulnerable families to alter their consumption and eating habits, making a nutrient-adequate diet unaffordable for many. Food prices have pushed the basic food basket, a fixed list of items needed to meet a household’s nutritional requirements, to 378 soles, equivalent to about $110.

Another impact of the food crisis is that 12.1% of children under 5 experience chronic malnutrition. These children have a height substantially below what is expected for their age, caused by ongoing poor nutrition, low-quality diets or recurring illness early in life.

Community Support Initiatives

Action Against Hunger addresses urgent needs and food insecurity among both the Peruvian national and migrant populations through support for community kitchens. Food insecurity affects multiple vulnerable groups, sometimes at even higher rates.

Carmen Elizabeth Castillo began running the canteen at Casa de la Esperanza shelter during the COVID-19 emergency, when Action Against Hunger became the first organization to support her and her staff. Although the shelter had dining space, it lacked staff. Castillo, with Action Against Hunger’s support, coordinated efforts with sheltered families, expanding operations from feeding 30 people to nearly 100. Action Against Hunger also trained her in kitchen management, food handling, storage, meal planning and identifying malnutrition as well as anemia in children.

Sustainable Solutions

Peru also addressed hunger through the Arequipa Nexus Institute for Food, Energy, Water and the Environment (ANIFEWE), a multiphase initiative launched in 2018 by the National University of San Agustín de Arequipa (UNSA) and Purdue University. Now in its third phase, the initiative is funded by UNSA to address key sustainability challenges for the region. As part of the project, the joint team has evaluated community greenhouses across the High Andes of Arequipa in collaboration with partners including AgroRural, local mayors’ offices, schools and civil organizations. This work aims to strengthen household nutrition, local markets and climate-resilient food production.

Julia Bello-Bravo, an assistant professor of agricultural sciences education and communication at Purdue and a co-principal investigator on the project, found through focus groups in Madrigal, Yanque and Sibayo that smallholder farmers often view organic agriculture as an extension of traditional practices rather than modern, market-driven farming — a source of pride tied to family and community well-being. The team also visited greenhouses across urban, school and rural settings to learn what was thriving, what challenges owners faced, and how residents used extra produce, while surveying households without greenhouses to understand barriers to adoption.

Gary Burniske, assistant director for program development in International Programs in Agriculture at Purdue, said the team found everything from “flourishing spaces full of leafy greens to half-abandoned frames.” Many participants received little technical advice after construction, he said, leaving them to face water shortages, high indoor temperatures, pests and labor shortages without guidance.

The greenhouses’ impact extends beyond food. Families can eat what they grow, sell surplus at markets and improve their nutrition. The project also strengthens Purdue’s global partnerships and its leadership in sustainable agriculture, with insights from the Arequipa collaboration feeding back into campus research, teaching and extension work.

Community-Level Support

The Owen Hart Foundation (OHF), established by Martha Hart in memory of her husband, the late professional wrestler Owen Hart, is another initiative that has helped Peru address hunger during and after the pandemic. OHF partners with For The Love of Children Society (FTLOCS) to deliver COVID-19 relief food supplies to villagers in Peru, providing resources such as protective gear, food and medical supplies to help vulnerable children and families. Separately, OHF has also supported committee member Ashid Bahl’s own initiative sending aid to Afghanistan, where a COVID-19-driven hunger crisis has caused severe food shortages, through his organization, For The Love of Children Society.

These efforts in Peru have already made a significant difference in food insecurity. In 2022, Peru saw food insecurity soar to 55% of the population. According to the official joint assessment by Peru’s National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (INEI) and the United Nations (U.N.) Food and Agriculture Organization, the rate of moderate or severe food insecurity dropped to 30.5% in 2025. Action Against Hunger has helped address food insecurity to prevent anemia and malnutrition in Peru. The Arequipa Nexus Institute has focused on market-driven farming, food and nutrition research and the sustainability challenges farmers face. The Owen Hart Foundation has emphasized community-level, hands-on work and programs, including housing, scholarships and partnerships, that have helped people across Peru.

– Debra Pierre

Debra is based in Miami, FL, USA and focuses on Good News and Celebs for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Everything To Know About Hunger in Bhutan

Hunger in BhutanIn a small, remote village located in the colossal Himalayan mountains lives a Bhutanese family of four. They are looking to prepare a scrumptious dinner; however, due to the dearth of fresh, nutritious food and an unpredictable harvest, they only have a small portion of rice and a few chilis and spices to share. This is the harsh reality for many families across the seemingly serene and majestic kingdom of Bhutan.

Located in the heart of the Eastern Himalayas, this nation is celebrated by many across the planet for its grand alpine landscapes and rich Buddhist heritage. However, despite a population 10 times less than that of New York City, along with its innovative “Gross National Happiness” index, hunger in Bhutan still remains a significant issue. This is mainly due to the tremendous mountainous terrain that makes up 99% of its land, its reliance on imports for food and severe climate challenges in the region.

What Is the Problem?

In Bhutan, 86% of the population does not consume the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables, while 27% of households cannot afford a diet that meets their routine nutritional needs. These issues are clearly impacting the health of women and children, especially. According to the Global Hunger Index, 44% of children under the age of five have anemia, while the Global Nutrition Report claims that this same disease afflicts around 40% of women of reproductive age.

There are a few main reasons for this hunger in Bhutan: the difficult alpine landscape of the Himalayas, the country’s significant reliance on food imports and overall extreme climate conditions. Due to the heavy mountainous terrain, less than 3% of the nation’s land is suitable for agriculture, making farms small and often inaccessible, especially for rural families. This has resulted in the kingdom importing around 50% of food from countries such as India, making it more expensive and less fresh due to longer transportation lines and external taxes. Additionally, Bhutan lies in one of the most seismically active regions of the planet, making it much more prone to extreme weather conditions. From floods and landslides to earthquakes and forest fires, the country’s natural disasters have caused much damage to the already low levels of agriculture.

Efforts To Reduce Hunger

Yet, despite all the adversities from nature, the government and external organizations have undertaken many initiatives to alleviate the problem of hunger in Bhutan.

  1. The “One Child, One Egg” Initiative: Collaborating with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, the country has implemented a “One Child, One Egg” initiative in which every school-attending child will receive one free egg through locally-sourced supply chains in an effort to combat hunger. The Prime Minister officially launched the program in February of 2025 with a budget of around $2 million USD, and as of 2026, it has impacted more than 32,000 children and 343 schools.
  2. Self-Sufficiency Goals: The country aims to achieve much greater food self-sufficiency by 2029 by emphasizing local rice and vegetable production. Its main strategy is an agroecological roadmap that combines practical infrastructure enhancements with sustainable agricultural practices. This blueprint involves the improvement of irrigation systems, expansion of markets for local produce, reutilization of unused farmland and providing farmers with digital tools for weather forecasts, among many other efforts.
  3. External Efforts: Additionally, the country has welcomed and supported efforts by many organizations, such as the World Food Program, to combat malnutrition. The organization is specifically assisting the government in nutritional education within schools, supporting Bhutan’s agricultural market by boosting demand for local food and building resistance to natural disasters through better national coordination and communication.

The actions that the government and organizations took ultimately adhere to Bhutan’s “Gross National Happiness” philosophy, which prioritizes citizens’ well-being and collective happiness. Clearly, these efforts have been fruitful as stunting rates for children under the age of five have decreased more than 30% in the past 25 years.

Looking Ahead

While hunger in Bhutan has significantly improved and is clearly being prioritized by the government and nonprofits, it hasn’t disappeared. Due to the hardships nature has caused to the country’s food industry, continued investment in agriculture, nutrition and infrastructure is essential to improve its current state of food security. However, the kingdom has proven to be on the right track, and by continuing to strengthen its agricultural sector and vulnerable communities, the country can move closer and closer to eliminating hunger once and for all.

– Tanish Peddi

Tanish is based in Westford, MA, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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How El Nino Exacerbates Food Insecurity

El Nino Exacerbates Food InsecurityThere will be another El Nino this 2026/27 season. El Nino is a recurring weather pattern that changes the normal predictable seasonal rain to potential extreme and unprecedented flood or drought to the world. It exacerbates food insecurity for millions of people on every continent.

The predictions are looking more and more like this year will have an impact that the world has not seen in about 150 years. It is being called it a “super El Nino,” and some are even calling it “Monster El Nino” or “Godzilla El Nino.”

The Recent El Nino

This is a recurring weather pattern that happens frequently, every other year to seven years. The ocean temperature of the southern part of Eastern Pacific warms to redirect weather patterns around the world. Some stand out more than others, but each time it hurts everyone across the world, especially in the poorer areas. The 2024/2025 shows how El Nino exacerbates food insecurity for millions of people. It causes record heat, droughts, flooding, wildfires, among other natural disasters globally.

The UN food agency explained that El Nino exacerbates food insecurity in Africa. The 2024/25 El Nino caused the worst hunger crisis in southern Africa in decades.

The media director for the nonprofit Climate Central explained that modern technologies make predictions to know generally what is going to happen. This means the UN, local governments, and non-profits can prepare for the inevitability of food insecurity is paramount for millions of people. Climate scientists are now certain with a high probability that this year will be extreme.

Historical Comparison

The1877/78 El Nino was the last time it was as extreme as climate models. It caused famine from droughts in one area and famine from floods in others to the extent that potentially 50 million people died from El Nino and aggravated by the political conflicts and colonialism/imperialism.

One of the worst El Nino food insecurities was in the 1877/78 year cycle that impacted populations in all areas of the world. About 50 million was roughly 3% to 4% of the world’s population. In terms of today, that would be equivalent to 250 million people.

The Joint Anticipatory Action Appeal

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the World Food Programme (WFP) have teamed up to create the Joint Anticipatory Action Appeal. They are seeking $202 million to prepare nearly nine million people for how El Nino exacerbates food insecurity across 22 high-risk priority countries.

So far, the program is already prepared to help 1.2 million people facing food insecurity. With additional funding coming, they will be able to help more than 7.5 million people. The WFP is calculating that for every dollar they spend on preparation is a $7 savings on post-disaster work.

These are countries/regions that will have unique extreme weather disturbances from El Nino:

  •       Peru and Ecuador will have extreme rainstorms and landslides.
  •       India and Southeast Asia and island nations will have extreme droughts, agriculture failures and wildfires.
  •       Central America will have droughts and agriculture failures.
  •       Africa, depending on location, will have erratic and unpredictable rainfall or drought conditions.

Funding Recipients

Funding from the Joint Anticipatory Action Appeal will assist in anticipatory actions focused on local situations. The money is allocated for cash assistance, the supply and delivery of drought-tolerant and/or flood-resistant seeds, livestock protection, water collecting and storage systems, flood protection infrastructure, agricultural advisories and the broadcasting of early warning information.

  •       Southern Africa will receive $54 million for an estimated 2.3 million people.
  •       Eastern Africa will receive $78 million for 3.9 million people.
  •       Western Africa will get $11 million for 500,000 million people.
  •       Asia and the Pacific will obtain $25.7 million for 1 million people.
  •       Latin America and the Caribbean will receive $33 million for 1.1 million people.

Looking Ahead

The El Nino is a normal weather pattern that has been predicted as extreme this year. The predicted flooding in one region and drought in another region requires specific and unique needs for different regions of the world. The international community is hard at work to prevent a complex international food crisis.

– Jonathan Snowiss

Jonathan is based in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Everything to Know About Hunger in the DRC

Hunger in the DRCThe Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been facing an ongoing hunger crisis for more than 25 years. Today, the issue of hunger in the Democratic Republic of the Congo affects 26.5 million people, leaving them struggling to meet their basic food needs. The country has the third highest score on the Global Hunger Index, just after Somalia and South Sudan. However, there is much more information and coverage out there for those two countries.

Conflict at the Root of Food Insecurity

This is due to both the length and the nature of their famines. The DRC has been dealing with armed conflict on its eastern border since the First Congo War in 1996. This prolonged violence, which is the root cause of hunger in the DRC, is harder to cover than the relatively recent famines in Somalia and South Sudan that are perpetuated by extreme climate events.

Unfortunately, this lack of coverage does not mean the conflict or the famine has ended. Just last year, the M23 rebel group took over the eastern city of Goma, which was a vital international trade hub for the area. All this conflict has caused the displacement of 7.8 million people in the DRC, which further perpetuates issues of food security and sanitation, and helping these people has become more difficult and therefore more important than ever with the capture of Goma.

Humanitarian Response and Immediate Relief

To combat these issues, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Food Programme (WFP) are working to address the hunger crisis in the DRC. With the $10 million allocated from the DRC Humanitarian Fund, the FAO and the WFP, through their combined efforts, have provided immediate food relief or cash-based assistance to nearly 1.3 million people. This is no doubt a significant effort, but it falls dramatically short of the $214 million needed to aid the entirety of the affected Congo population.

Building Long-Term Food Security

Along with immediate relief, the two organizations have also prioritized improving the resilience and self-reliance of local communities. The nutrition problems in the area are particularly alarming, with more than 4.18 million children under five suffering from acute malnutrition. To help prevent this in the future, the WFP has set up nutrition-focused cooking classes in dozens of villages across the DRC. These lessons not only promote healthier, well-balanced diets for Congolese children, but the recipes also include only locally grown native ingredients.

Meanwhile, the FAO provides continued support to the area’s agriculture. This includes seeds, tools, livelihood inputs and cash-based assistance, which help families restore food production and reduce overall dependence on food assistance. However, it could not raise adequate funds to provide agricultural support to the entire region. The FAO urgently requires an additional $163 million to scale up its life-saving agricultural support before it misses critical planting windows.

The Funding Gap and the Path Forward

The Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to face a prolonged famine spurred by armed conflict in the region. This famine would have grown to dire proportions with the capture of Goma by M23 if not for the FAO and WFP’s efforts to combat food insecurity in the region. These organizations are committed to a dual-approach solution to the food crisis that combines immediate food relief with longer-term support to agriculture and food security. However, their plans to provide the necessary assistance and stop the famine in the area have encountered an unfortunate $214 million funding shortfall. Reducing hunger in the Democratic Republic of the Congo will require donations and a continued commitment to both emergency relief and long-term recovery. With this, the international community can help turn today’s humanitarian crisis into lasting food security for tomorrow.

– Arda Aydogan

Arda is based in Canton, MI, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr