Archive for category: Hunger

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Hunger in the Syrian Arab Republic

Hunger in the Syrian Arab Republic
The Syrian Arab Republic is a country in the Middle East that has a rich and unique history going as far back as 10,000 years ago. More recently, political instability led to the Syrian civil war which has created a humanitarian crisis that extends far beyond its borders. It has been nearly a decade since the Syrian civil war first began in 2011. The U.N. approximated that over 13 million people in Syria were in need of some type of humanitarian assistance. Over 5 million people seek asylum in the surrounding countries of Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, hunger in the Syrian Arab Republic soared to the forefront of the humanitarian crisis.

Nearly one-third of Syria’s population is dealing with food insecurity partly due to an increase in food prices. The COVID-19 lockdown measures and the collapse of the Lebanese economy have caused food prices to increase by 200%. This makes them 20 times higher than they were before the civil war. Additionally, Syria’s local currency has been devalued by two-thirds. Consequently, people cannot afford to buy available food.

Efforts to Alleviate Hunger in the Syrian Arab Republic

  • Turkish Exports: In May 2020, the U.N. placed restrictions on exports as a way to combat the spread of COVID-19. Shortly after, the U.N. authorize Turkish exports to alleviate hunger in the Syrian Arab Republic. This aid from Turkey is a crucial survival source for 2.8 million people in the northwestern part of Syria.
  • Extending the Lifeline: The U.N.’s Emergency Relief is working to extend intraregional aid deliveries. The U.N. has authorized aid deliveries to the Syrian people in several resolutions since April 2012. The latest resolution, resolution 2504, was to expire in July 2020. On May 14, 2020, the U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres requested that the Security Council extend the authorization of this cross-border aid for another 12 months. In Guterres’ report, he noted that this U.N. cross-border operation helped an average of 2 million Syrians each month in 2019.
  • Large and Small-scale Efforts: Many formerly displaced people have returned to their land. However, many people are facing issues resuming food production. As of June 2020, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) introduced several programs to help more than 300,000 households at risk of food insecurity. About 155,000 households will directly benefit from livestock production support which includes vaccinations and anti-parasite treatments. On a smaller scale, about 3,000 households will benefit from better nutrition that local school food gardens provide.
  • Creative Solutions: Since 2012, USAID’s Office of Food for Peace (FFP) has provided more than $3 billion in emergency food relief. In January 2020, USAID committed to providing emergency food assistance through two specific methods. Firstly, USAID is providing emergency food aid to newly displaced peoples through ready-to-eat rations, food vouchers and locally or regionally procured food baskets. Secondly, they are continuing to support local bakery inventions to help with the production of bread. The FFP has helped over 4 million people in Syria and over 1 million Syrian refugees since 2012. 

It is evident that hunger in the Syrian Arab Republic is the result of a combination of factors following the eruption of the civil war. International organizations and NGOs dedicated their resources to help the Syrian people, especially as COVID-19 threatens much of the progress that the country has previously made.

– Camryn Anthony
Photo: Flickr

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5 Facts About Hunger in the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic has a population of more than 11 million. Hunger remains a pressing issue for many in this region, as the country ranks 46th on the Global Hunger Index. The COVID-19 outbreak exacerbated the situation, with the number of people living with food insecurity reaching 1.5 million.

5 Facts About Hunger in the Dominican Republic

  1. Percentage of the population suffering from poverty – Around 2.5 million people in the Dominican Republic suffer from poverty. This results in a national poverty rate of 22.8%, which is relatively high for upper-middle-income countries. Out of this population, 3% live in extreme poverty, and poverty is directly linked to hunger. While poverty has decreased in recent years, more efforts are needed to address this issue.
  2. Effects on children – The limited access to nutrient-diverse food that some families experience in the Dominican Republic has affected children in the form of anemia and malnutrition. Almost a third of children under 5 are suffering from anemia, while over 7% of children are currently experiencing malnutrition. The most common type of anemia is Iron Deficiency Anemia, which is caused by a shortage of iron in the body, according to the Mayo Clinic. This type of anemia is often caused by a diet lacking iron-rich foods. While the rate of children with anemia is still high, the World Food Programme and the government of the Dominican Republic have been able to drastically reduce this rate in the last few years. 
  3. High risk of natural disasters – The Germanwatch Climate Risk Index ranks the country 12th in vulnerability to climate disasters. From 1980 to 2008, almost a quarter of the population was affected by natural disasters. In the latter part of 2023, thousands of people were displaced in the Dominican Republic due to floods and landslides, leading to increased hunger and poverty as the livelihoods of many were affected. The country needs more focused approaches to develop plans for combating the effects of natural disasters. This is important not only to reduce hunger and poverty but also to improve the country’s economy.  
  4. Helping through education – While hunger in the Dominican Republic is a serious issue, numerous organizations are working to help solve it. For example, Food for the Hungry sponsors children through donations to ensure they have enough to eat. The organization is also working to reduce disparities by improving the quality of education and providing equal opportunities for all. The newly launched transformative program, Edulabs, aims to provide quality technological education and skills to 90,000 marginalized youth and adults. Food for the Hungry aims to reduce poverty and hunger in the country through such initiatives. 
  5. Fostering self-reliance – Food for the Poor is dedicated to fighting hunger and poverty. It provides essential aid such as food supplies, financial assistance for housing, education, and sustainable income sources. Additionally, it offers resources and training to help individuals establish small businesses. This helps foster self-reliance and builds resilience in the community. 

Final Remarks

Addressing hunger in the Dominican Republic requires focused humanitarian efforts. While hunger has long been a challenge, history has demonstrated that it can be alleviated through targeted action. The impact of hunger is particularly severe on the region’s children, who are most vulnerable to the effects of malnutrition. By prioritizing the issue of hunger and malnutrition today, we can pave the way for a more promising future for the Dominican Republic in the post-COVID-19 era.

– Sophia Gardner
Photo: Flickr
Updated: September 27, 2024

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The Current State of Hunger in Honduras

Hunger in Honduras
Located in the Northern Triangle, Honduras is one of the poorest countries in Latin America. In 2023, 64.1% of the country’s population was reported to be multi-dimensionally poor – a staggering rate higher than that reported during the pandemic. As such, millions of Hondurans are currently suffering from food insecurity and are in vital need of humanitarian aid. Fortunately, organizations such as the World Food Programme have developed several initiatives designed to successfully mitigate hunger in lasting, impactful ways.

Food Insecurity

High poverty rates directly contribute to the persistence of hunger in Honduras. An estimated 1.8 million Hondurans experienced acute food insecurity between December 2023 and February 2024. This rate is expected to worsen in the coming months in line with the seasonal hunger period, capturing a projected 1.9 million people by the end of 2024.

Malnutrition, particularly among children, is an indisputable consequence of the prevalence of food insecurity. According to the 2024 Global Hunger Index (GHI), approximately 20.4% of the population in Honduras were reported to be malnourished. Around 18.7% of children under 5 show signs of stunted growth, which is higher than the average for the Latin American and Caribbean region. 

Child malnutrition disproportionately affects young and adolescent girls. With a birth rate of 101 births for every 1,000 girls between the ages of 15 and 19, Honduras has one of the highest rates of adolescent pregnancy in Central America. Malnutrition in childhood and pregnancy has numerous health-related repercussions for infants, such as low birth weight. Despite these risks, Honduras has made no progress towards alleviating this issue – today, over 10.9% of the country’s infants are underweight at birth.

Climate Change

Climate change is one of the main drivers of food insecurity in Honduras. The southern and western regions of the country – commonly referred to as the Dry Corridor – are especially vulnerable to climate-related hazards such as tropical storms, hurricanes, droughts and landslides. These predominantly rural areas are at high risk of environmental degradation yet are home to a large population of smallholder farmers who are responsible for sustaining the food supply in their respective areas. Located in northwest Honduras, the Indigenous Tolupan community is especially struggling to produce adequate harvests due to their region’s susceptibility to droughts. In 2023, crop failures for staple foods created significant disruptions to agricultural output. With 93% of the Tolupan people barely able to cover the costs of the basic food basket, many have been forced to migrate to other countries in an effort to seek affordable and accessible sustenance. 

Historically, variations in rainfall and extreme weather events have severely impacted crop yields in Honduras and have resulted in damage to crucial infrastructure. However, without impactful strategies to strengthen the country’s resilience to climate change, the scale of destruction to the agricultural sector is expected to increase over time. According to the International Trade Administration, Honduras’s annual mean temperature is projected to increase by a maximum of 2.5 degrees Celsius by 2050. Agriculture-related losses that are predicted to accompany this increase include crop disease, a reduction in arable land and overall decreased crop quality. 

Mitigating Hunger: World Food Programme (WFP)

Today, one of the most active humanitarian organizations focusing on mitigating hunger in Honduras is the World Food Programme. In 2023, WFP provided direct food-related assistance to 1.3 million Hondurans, 53% of whom were women. Working with the state, the organization has introduced several initiatives designed to eradicate the root causes of food insecurity and malnutrition, including the approval of parametric microinsurance for subsistence and smallholder farmers and cash-based transfers (CBT) to Indigenous and Afro-descendant groups. In an effort to improve agricultural production for rural communities, WFP has also connected smallholder farmer organizations to procurement opportunities in the public and private sectors, strengthening their connections with local markets. 

Looking ahead, WFP intends to maximize its relationship with the Government of Honduras in developing more diverse and resilient food systems. The organization’s Country Strategic Plan of 2023 emphasizes the need to engage national and local partners in building a support system for all Hondurans to be able to access vital care and resources. In recognition of the country’s vulnerability to climate change, WFP will continue to provide farmers in the Dry Corridor with conditional transfers and technical assistance to increase and diversify their produce, promoting long-term resilience and adaptation.

Moving Forward

Honduras currently faces numerous challenges to human development. Factors such as climate variability perpetually create risks to the country’s agricultural productivity, resulting in the marginalization of groups such as Indigenous peoples. However, organizations such as the World Food Programme are  striving to improve these conditions by providing monetary and resource-based assistance to those in need. Moving forward, it is essential that WFP and the government of Honduras continue to make food security a priority, contributing to more resilient and prosperous communities in the years to come.

– Zoe Chao, Moon Jung Kim
Photo: Flickr

Updated: October 22, 2024

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Barron Segar on Navigating a Global Crisis

Navigating a Global Crisis
The Borgen Project has published this article and podcast episode, ““Everything Changed Overnight.” WFP USA CEO Barron Segar on Navigating a Global Crisis,” with permission from The World Food Program (WFP) USA. “Hacking Hunger” is the organization’s podcast that features stories of people around the world who are struggling with hunger and thought-provoking conversations with humanitarians who are working to solve it.

 

Three months after Barron Segar joined WFP USA as president and CEO, disaster struck. COVID-19 hit and uprooted life as we knew, forcing Barron and WFP USA leadership to reimagine many of their plans. Barron is no stranger to crisis – he has decades of experience navigating uncertain times, including fundraising during the Great Recession. His experience has shown through as he leads WFP USA through this current crisis, so we wanted to ask him just a little bit more on how he does it. We sat down with Barron to ask about his background, goals and leading in the time of COVID-19.

Click below to listen to Barron Segar give his thoughts about navigating a global crisis.

 

 

Photo: Flickr

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7 Facts About Hunger in Côte d’Ivoire

Hunger in Côte d'IvoireThe West African nation of Côte d’Ivoire, also known as the Ivory Coast, is located on the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean, bordered by five other countries: Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana. It is a country of almost 30 million people. Following the conclusion of a civil war in 2011, Côte d’Ivoire experienced economic growth rates averaging almost 7% per year—6.5% in 2023. Despite this growth, however, the country still struggles with endemic poverty and hunger. It ranks 166 out of 193 countries in the U.N.’s Human Development Index which ranks achievement of a long and healthy life, access to knowledge and a decent standard of living. This HDI rank of 166 is “Low,” but Côte d’Ivoire has been steadily, if slowly, improving over the past three decades. 

Under President Alassane Ouattara, Côte d’Ivoire has focused on the economy and the middle class, launching its ambitious first National Development Plan (2016-2020) in December 2015 in order to transform the country into a middle-income economy by 2020. The 2021-2025 plan aims to achieve upper middle-income status, with attention to the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals, regional and international development priorities and the African Union’s 2063 vision. As with other countries, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and COVID-19 slowed progress.

7 Facts About Hunger in Côte d’Ivoire

  1. Côte d’Ivoire’s Global Hunger Index is “Serious.” Côte d’Ivoire ranks 86 out of the 125 countries with sufficient data for the GHI’s peer-reviewed assessment, based on population undernourishment, child (under age 5) stunting, child wasting and child mortality. This is a 42.8% improvement in its ranking over the past 15 years, moving it out of the “Alarming” classification to “Serious.” The most serious indicator is child stunting at over 20%, but that has declined from almost 40% during the same time period. All the other indicators are currently under 10%. 
  2. GRFC sees acute food insecurity. For the first time in its history, the 2024 Global Report on Food Crises classified Côte d’Ivoire as a major food crisis because of food access being hindered by the high cost of living. While a high level of food insecurity was not projected, it was estimated that more than a million people would be so classified, although good harvests were expected to improve the situation. 
  3. Hunger in Côte d’Ivoire is significantly impacted by the fact that 37.5% of people in Côte d’Ivoire live below the National Poverty Line; almost 10% are below the International Poverty Line of $2.15/day (2021). Extreme poverty, reflected by the International Poverty Line was expected to have risen to 11% in 2023 but to stabilize in 2024 at 10.2%, continuing to fall to 9.6% by 2026. Economic growth and increased employment are countered by inflation in affecting the extent of poverty.
  4. The Sahel region crises have impacted Côte d’Ivoire. Armed violence, human rights violations, and climate change have led to significant displacements in the region that includes Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. The crisis escalated in early 2023, with over 61,000 asylum seekers estimated to have migrated to northern Côte d’Ivoire. Over half are children and over half are women. Needless to say, this has had a significant impact on communities that were already vulnerable. 
  5. The World Food Programme (WFP) has worked with the Ivoirian government and partners since 1968. WFP has concentrated its support in Côte d’Ivoire’s north, west and northeast rural areas identified as having more food insecure and vulnerable people. WFP activities include attention to malnutrition, school feeding and food system improvements. 
  6. Action Against Hunger has worked in Côte d’Ivoire since 2002. Action Against Hunger estimates that there are over three million people facing hunger in Côte d’Ivoire and that they helped 325,778 last year. Food scarcity, especially during the “lean season,” is impacted by conflict disruptions, trade embargoes, crop deficits and widespread poverty. Action Against Hunger’s approach is to prevent, detect and treat hunger, which they have done by partnering with local community members to provide and strengthen health services and the health system. The organization’s work with young people includes a mobile application to facilitate access to information and care in sexual and reproductive health, as well as mental health support. 
  7. Climate resilience can lead to agricultural improvements. Côte d’Ivoire is the largest producer of cocoa in the world, and a successful harvest is vital for Ivoirians to feed their families. Since 2022, the U.N.’s Food and Agricultural Organization, financed by the Green Climate Fund, has worked with Côte d’Ivoire to implement project PROMIRE, Promoting Deforestation-Free Cocoa Production to Reduce Emissions. PROMIRE has restored forest areas and converted conventional cocoa plots to agroecosystems or agroforestry. The European Union, which imports half of the country’s cocoa, will put deforestation regulations in place at the end of the year, so these improvements are critical to the country’s economy. 

– Staff Reports
Photo: Flickr
Updated: September 23, 2024

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Reducing Hunger in Sri Lanka

 

Hunger in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has experienced notable progress in several developmental areas. The country has achieved improvements to primary education, a reduction in childbirth rate and decreasing poverty levels. However, food insecurity remains a consistent problem. Hunger in Sri Lanka is a major obstacle to the nation’s socio-economic development. According to the 2019 Global Hunger Index, Sri Lanka scores 17.1, ranking 66 among 117 qualifying countries.

The Numbers

According to a UN report, more than 800 million people worldwide were estimated to be chronically undernourished as of 2017. Over 90 million children under five are underweight. Sri Lanka ranked poorly on the Global Hunger Index (GHI) and global food security index, two major indicators of food security in any country. A Food and Agriculture Organization report from 2014 to 2016 found an average calorie deficit in Sri Lanka of 192 kcal per capita per day. In South Asia, only Afghanistan (36.6%) and Pakistan (30.5%) had higher rates of food inadequacy.

A study by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) revealed that more than 13% of minors in Sri Lanka were malnourished between the period of 2006-2010. The survey found that 23% of children between six and 59 months of age were stunted, 18% wasted and 29% underweight.

AHRC also found that remote and underdeveloped areas suffer more from hunger than larger cities. Although Sri Lanka has moderate percentages of food accessibility (54.5%), availability (52.8%), quality and safety (49.5 %), it is still struggling to achieve the United Nation’s goal for zero hunger by 2030.

Causes of Persistent Hunger

A food-insecure family lacks access to an optimum quantity of affordable and nutritious food. The immediate and obvious impact of food insecurity can be observed in physical health. Children struggle to concentrate in school and adults find it hard to perform well in their job. The household hunger scale (HHS) measures food insecurity in Sri Lanka on the basis of three factors: lacking access to food, sleeping hungry because of not having enough to eat and household members spending the whole day and night without eating anything.

There are several drivers behind hunger in Sri Lanka. Stagnant growth in crops in recent years has created a shortage of essential food. As the population continues to grow, this problem worsens. Furthermore, 35% of crops end up being wasted, never reaching hungry people. Rising food prices are also a concern in Sri Lanka. Changes in import duties and non-tariff barriers have caused increases in food prices as well.

Unemployment is also a major factor behind food insecurity and hunger in Sri Lanka. Many families have one or more members unemployed. One report shows that around 30% of the households depend on casual wage labor for their livelihood and food security. Around 90% percent of households in the city of Jaffna and 75% in the Vavuniya District were unemployed around 2012.

Initiatives to Address Hunger

Agriculture is one of the key ways to combat hunger and malnutrition. Different policies are intended to help fulfill Sri Lanka’s food requirement, including the National Climate Change Policy and the National Adaptation Plan for Climate Change Impact. A climate-smart agriculture system is working on increasing climate-resilient crops, rainwater harvesting, crop diversification and use of technology.

Under the National Nutrition Policy, every Sri Lankan citizen has the right to access adequate and appropriate food — irrespective of geographical location or socio-economic status. In addition to these efforts, global agencies like the World Food Program are working to combat hunger in Sri Lanka. UNICEF is also working to improve child and maternal nutrition.

Additional Ways to Combat Hunger

Socially vulnerable groups — like the elderly or female-headed families — are more prone to food insecurity. Sri Lanka’s government and other organizations should supply food vouchers to these vulnerable groups.

Because livestock production in Sri Lanka offers vast opportunity, the government should also encourage training and veterinary services to promote livestock production. In addition to this, privatizing the fish industry could help generate employment.

 

Moving forward, the government and other humanitarian organizations need to make reducing hunger in Sri Lanka a priority. Policies like the ones listed above are crucial for reaching the U.N.’s goal of zero hunger.

– Anuja Kumari
Photo: Flickr

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Hunger in the Marshall Islands

Hunger in the Marshall Islands
The Marshall Islands is an island country in the Pacific Ocean near the equator. The nation is part of the island group Micronesia. Meanwhile, Wake Island lies to the north with Kiribati and Nauru to the south and the Federated States of Micronesia to the west. The Marshall Islands’ fragile ecosystem and densely populated areas present unique challenges for the country. These environmental and social factors have led to food insecurity and hunger in the Marshall Islands.

At the moment, there are limited statistics regarding hunger and food insecurity in the Marshall Islands. However, estimates determine that 21.5% of women and 20.8% of men living on the Marshall Islands have diabetes. Though this is not necessarily a direct relation, studies show that high rates of diabetes may correlate with food insecurity.

The Reasons for Hunger in the Marshall Islands

  1. The Marshall Islands have experienced rapid urbanization. The nation’s urban population has increased from 58% of the total population in 1980 to 77% in 2019. As a result, the people of the Marshall Islands are transitioning from traditional diets of fish and fruit to imported diets of rice, flour and meat. Consequently, there is an increased reliance on imported food items. This is quite risky as the price of imported food depends largely on global commodity prices. The fluctuation in these prices results in unreliable access to imported foods in the Marshall Islands. This reliance on imported food makes finding food more difficult for citizens of the Marshall Islands, especially those living in poverty.
  2. Rising sea levels have contributed to the loss of cultivable land. Most of the Marshall Islands are less than six feet above sea level. Farmers like Kakiana Ebot have reported that their crops have rotted and died due to saltwater soaking the soil. Ebot says that she has lost about $30 a day due to the death of her breadfruit tree.
  3. El Niño, a period of warm ocean temperatures in the Pacific, puts the Marshall Islands at greater risk of drought. During times of drought, fish become scarce. This is concerning because fish is one of the main non-imported food sources in the Marshall Islands. Additionally, ocean warming and acidification harm the coral reefs surrounding the Marshall Islands, further threatening the existence of local fish.

Multinational Efforts to Address Hunger in the Marshall Islands

The Marshall Islands, in collaboration with other nations, has taken action towards establishing food security and eradicating hunger. One such initiative is the Readiness for El Nino project (RENI), a measure that the European Union funded and the Pacific Community (SPC) implemented. This project is a response to the severe 2016 El Niño drought. Dr. Colin Tukuitonga, Director-General of the SPC, stated that the project’s goal is to “enhance the resilience of the Marshallese communities in preparation for future droughts, and serve as a model for mitigation efforts across the region.”

The implementation of the RENI project started in June 2017 and will proceed through October 2020. During the implementation phase, project leaders consult local communities including women and other marginalized groups. The consultations determine each community’s exposure and sensitivity to environmental challenges, as well as their ability to adapt.

In addition to preparing communities for drought, the RENI project also teaches home gardening and provides training in food preservation methods. All of these strategies seek to establish food security and decrease reliance on imported foods. This project will directly benefit 1,059 people and indirectly benefit 1,605 people.

So far, the RENI project has returned preliminary reports from the Ailuk Atoll, a northern atoll of the Marshall Islands. The consultation phase of the project has concluded and the RENI project has drafted a disaster management plan with the community.

Pacific Island Countries Addressing Hunger Together

Other island countries, like Taiwan, have also partnered with the Marshall Islands to increase food security. Taiwan’s International Cooperation and Development Fund established a hydroponics demonstration farm to help introduce innovative farming techniques to the Marshall Islands. This farm opened in January 2020.

Hydroponics farming is a method of growing plants using nutrient solutions in water solvent instead of soil. It is helpful in countries that lack fertile soil like the Marshall Islands. This farming technique will help diversify local fruit and vegetable production.

Like the RENI project, Taiwan’s hydroponic project has an educational component that will share vital knowledge about crop management and nutrition. In the next five years, this project hopes to increase vegetable and fruit production by around 100 kilograms per month.

Over time, with cooperation between the Marshall Islands and other nations, the country may be able to eradicate hunger.

 – Antoinette Fang
Photo: Flickr

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Hidden Hunger in Georgia

Hidden Hunger in GeorgiaLocated in the Caucasus Mountains of Eastern Europe, Georgia is a transcontinental country in Asia and Europe, where 15.6% of the population lives below the poverty line. While the people of Georgia receive enough food, some suffer from stunted growth and undernourishment due to the quality of their diet, leading to hidden hunger in Georgia.

Background

Hidden hunger in Georgia results from a lack of essential vitamins and minerals in its accessible food. It occurs when people do not consume enough protein, iron and vitamin A consistently, which can cause tangible issues. For example, half a million Georgians are malnourished and infant mortality is twice the EU average. Additionally, a significant number of children under 5 years old are anemic.

Most of the foods that Georgians eat are high in starch and have little nutritional value. The two most popular dishes in rural Georgia are fried potatoes and lobio, which are made of boiled beans. Overreliance on these types of foods has made cardiovascular disease the most common chronic disease in the country. Currently, it accounts for 69% of Georgia’s mortality.

The leading cause of the dietary insufficiencies in Georgia is a lack of access to meat and meat-based products. Unfortunately, these products are relatively expensive in local markets. The average household income is just $6 per day (⅓ of the population earns only $2.5 per day), so meat consumption is impractical for most people.

Furthermore, the gross domestic product of Georgia was just $16.21 billion in 2018, with a per capita GDP of $4,723. For comparison, the 2018 GDP per capita for the European Union was $35,616.

Although the country’s GDP is growing overall, economic downturns, such as the 2008 Russo-Georgian War, the 2015 stagnation, the 2020 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, have reduced the value of the Georgian Lari. These shifts can create vulnerable conditions for Georgia’s population and reduce food security.

The Impact of COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine War

Amid the global pandemic, widespread lockdowns and food shortages significantly impacted local markets in Georgia. While the country has subsistence farmers, most of the population relies on purchasing food from street markets or bazaars. The combination of lockdowns and supply chain disruptions posed a severe risk of food insecurity for the population. However, the government took prompt action to mitigate this risk by implementing the following measures

  • Provision of subsidies to local farmers
  • Government procurement of food from private companies to prevent shortages.
  • Subsidizing the import of food items such as pasta, oil, wheat, milk powder, and sugar.

Georgia relies on neighboring countries Russia and Ukraine for its wheat, sunflower oil, milk and dairy products. The disruption of the supply chain has reduced imports and increased food prices in the country, leading to an inflation rate of “17.9% in 2022”. 

Solutions

Fortunately, governmental and nonprofit organizations worldwide are taking steps to improve dietary standards and combat hunger in Georgia. Action Against Hunger has had a Food Security Program in the country since 1994, established shortly after the dissolution of the USSR and the collapse of collective farming in the region. It helped 5,937 people in 2018.

BRIDGE is a Georgia-based NGO that publishes comprehensive studies detailing Georgians’ dietary habits. It also publishes policy recommendations, ranging from developing the Georgian diet monitoring systems to embedding nutrition into the Ministry of Education’s agenda.

The Georgian Agricultural and Rural Development Alliance (GAARD), of which BRIDGE is a member, registered a “Food Security Bill” in Parliament in 2017. This bill aims to reduce Georgia’s reliance on imported food and improve the country’s nutrition self-sustainably.

Hidden hunger manifests in various symptoms and diseases in Georgia, including obesity and cardiovascular issues. Cardiovascular disease represents 69% of Georgia’s mortality, and rising food prices could worsen this situation. While Georgia grapples with hidden hunger, organizations such as Action Against Hunger, BRIDGE and GAARD are actively working to enhance food quality in the country and make a positive impact.

– Christopher Bresnahan
Photo: Flickr
Updated: October 9, 2024

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6 Facts About Hunger in Senegal

Hunger in Senegal
The Republic of Senegal, located just off the West African coast, has one of the most stable economies in the region, but there are surprisingly high unemployment and poverty rates. With a population of 15.85 million, 39% of Senegal’s citizens are living in poverty. Senegal is one of many nations that rely solely on rain seasons for resources and goods to sell – when the rain does not come, crops cannot be harvested, sold or traded. Lack of rain can also start brush fires that destroy crops and shock rural towns into food insecurity. All of these factors contribute to a system of poverty and hunger that must be addressed. Here are 6 facts about hunger in Senegal.

6 Facts About Hunger in Senegal

  1. In 2014, the Malabo Declaration was signed at the Summit of the African Union. It planned to end food insecurity in Senegal by the year 2025, with a focus on malnutrition among children. The World Food Program is also partnering with local organizations to monitor and analyze food and nutrition insecurity.
  2. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #2 was proposed at the same Summit of the African Union. Its goal is to eliminate hunger in all forms by 2030. This will be achieved by setting in place sustainable solutions such as high-quality farming equipment that allows farmers to sell goods for higher prices at markets. Prices often fluctuate due to the quality of the crops being sold, so better equipment allows for consistently better quality goods, bringing more income to rural towns.
  3. Special food distributions are being delivered to the elderly and disabled in all 14 regions of Senegal by the World Food Program. The program is also actively working toward expanding rural developments and safety net programs that cover all citizens considered food or income insecure. This will greatly benefit the fight against hunger in Senegal.
  4. Organization Action Against Hunger provided nearly 14,000 people in Senegal with access to clean water and nearly 23,000 people with food security and safety net livelihood programs following a significant drought in 2018. Action Against Hunger sent out emergency response teams to distribute as many resources to affected areas as possible. This will ultimately aid over 62,000 people in Senegal.
  5. As larger cities begin to urbanize, poverty-ridden rural towns are often left behind. The most particularly affected by this shift in modernization are women, children and elderly people living in these small rural towns. They are the most vulnerable to food insecurity and further complications.
  6. In Tambacounda, an app was developed for farmers by Senegal’s government and international partners. The app allows them to track the weather and prepare to protect crops from any incoming storms. Additionally, it provides insight into animal health and personal nutrition.

Hunger in Senegal has been an increasingly pressing issue over the last two decades. Currently, Senegal is one of seven African countries that have succeeded in reducing food insecurity and malnutrition; since the year 2000, malnutrition in the nation has been lowered by 56%. Reduction of hunger and malnutrition remains Senegal’s main priority; analysis has shown that the education of farmers in nutrition and efficient farming practices has contributed towards this goal. There is still much work to be done, but great strides have been made.

– Kim Elsey
Photo: Flickr

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The Remedy for Hunger Pain

Remedy for Hunger Pain
Today, people wear masks. These masks hide people’s faces and protect them from a disease they cannot see, but not all masks are visible. Some masks are invisible. One of these masks is glue and some use it to silence the stomach’s growl. In many developing countries, teenagers use glue as an inhalant drug to quell the cries of their stomach, a remedy for hunger pain. Unfortunately, there is little statistical data readily available on this topic, making any hope of reform nearly impossible. However, research from the National Institute of Health (NIH) has made the effects of sniffing glue evident.

According to NIH, inhalants can cause the following damage to the brain: distorted speech, poor bodily coordination, euphoria and dizziness. The brain is not the only part of the body that sniffing glue negatively affects. Long-term use can result in damage to the liver, kidney and bone marrow. Loss of physical coordination and delayed behavioral development can also occur.

A Prevalent Issue

Kimberly Solórzano, who works at a Honduran orphan care center, spoke with The Borgen Project about how sniffing glue impacts the long-term health of children and adolescents. Solórzano said, “They are just sniffing glue, and that is very common among teens coming out of these kinds of shack communities. They are sniffing glue to stay warm and to feel full when they’re hungry…just kind of becoming oblivious to the world around them due to their addiction.” Solórzano made The Borgen Project aware that many children who find themselves addicted to inhalants are uneducated about the long-term effects.

Unfortunately, this is an issue that touches all four corners of the world. In Kenya, estimates determine that 250,000 children sniff glue. In Nepal, a research study found that 88.46% of street children sniff glue and 89.13% were unaware of the effects of the inhalant. These alarmingly high statistics seem to hide the good news. However, there is hope for reform.

Educational Reform

Hope is spelled “education.” Through proper education on the effects of inhalant use and methods for combating food shortages and world hunger, there is hope for drastic change. One organization that fights for educational reform in the area of global hunger is Bread for the World. Bread for the World focuses on sustainable progress, which it defines as “progress that is intended to be, and is capable of being, enduring- depends on addressing all of the issues in an interconnected manner.” Education on various food storage methods echoes sustainable progress. Specifically, Bread takes time to teach farmers in India how to properly contain vegetables, like corn.

Another goal of Bread is to witness the Sustainable Development Goals come to life. Bread states that “Universal secondary education, which is included in the Sustainable Development Goals, would no doubt lead to swifter progress in ending hunger and malnutrition.” Through secondary education for all, the remedy for hunger pain would no longer be inhalants but nutritious food. Education is key and Bread is fully aware of this fact.

Thankfully, Bread is one of many United States nonprofits working to end global hunger. Together, these organizations make a lasting impact by bringing educational and congressional reform on the topic of global hunger, provide nutritious food as a remedy for hunger pain and create a lasting impact from generation to generation.

– Chatham Kennedy
Photo: Flickr