Archive for category: Hunger

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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

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5 Facts About Hunger in Guyana

Hunger in Guyana

Guyana is a country located on the northern coast of South America. Despite the country’s rapidly growing economy, hunger in Guyana has increased in recent years, disproportionately impacting rural and remote populations. As such, the state has adopted several measures to protect vulnerable families and increase food production capabilities. 

Reflecting this dynamic are five facts about hunger in Guyana.

5 Facts About Hunger in Guyana

  1. A considerable number of Guyanese children suffer from malnourishment. According to the Global Nutrition Report, Guyana has made no progress towards improving child wasting rates, with 6.4% of children under 5 years of age currently affected. The persistence of child malnutrition in Guyana stems from food poverty – 20% of children in Guyana are fed less than two food groups per day and predominantly lack nutrient-rich foods in their diet such as fruits and vegetables. Accordingly, those suffering from reduced dietary diversity are deprived of the nutrition necessary for developmental growth. Children exposed to severe food poverty are especially susceptible to health issues such as wasting and stunting.
  2. Food prices are continuing to increase. Food prices for all food categories in Guyana increased by 3.2% during the first six months of 2024. This has been largely attributed to the country’s worsening inflation rate, which has been spurred by external factors such as geopolitical tensions and climate change that have created challenges to food production. Despite the government’s ongoing efforts to contain rising prices, Guyana’s inflation rate is expected to increase by 2.9% between 2024 and 2029, resulting in unaffordable food prices throughout the country. As a result, many are likely to turn to negative coping strategies such as skipping meals or overwhelming consumption of processed foods, further heightening malnutrition rates.
  3. Food insecurity disproportionately affects Indigenous communities. Guyana’s Indigenous population, widely known as Amerindians, constitute an estimated 10.5% of the country’s total population. Due to their geographical isolation along the coastal plain and in the hinterlands, many lack resources necessary to combat a dwindling water supply and climate-related disruptions to land cultivation. Across the hilly and riverine terrains of the country, Indigenous communities are struggling to store water as a result of reduced rainfall. Prior traditional methods of maintaining water supply such as rainwater harvesting are inadequate in collecting enough to sustain their livelihoods. Without modern infrastructure to combat their changing environments, Indigenous communities face debilitating reductions to their produce and livestock – namely, cassava and cattle.
  4. Climate change is exacerbating hunger. Extreme temperatures directly contribute to declining crop yields, which threatens food security. As the majority of Guyana’s population depends on agricultural productivity to sustain their livelihoods, this phenomenon poses a serious risk for the Guyanese. Carbon dioxide concentrations are projected to double between 2020 and 2040 and triple between 2080 and 2100, resulting in severe storms and rising sea levels. Currently, Guyana is most vulnerable to floods and droughts, which has historically destroyed vital infrastructure needed to sustain staple crops such as cassava and corn.
  5. The state is taking several steps to address food insecurity. Guyana is a major supporter of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) food security initiative and has launched several programs to combat hunger. In 2023, the government increased the state’s budgetary allocation to the agriculture sector by 150%, with an aim to expand domestic cultivation and exports. The Guyanese government has simultaneously adopted agricultural projects to increase the production of staples and cash crops such as black eyed peas, wheat, honey and coconut. Working alongside humanitarian organizations such as the United Nations and the World Food Programme, Guyana hopes to enhance the affordability and accessibility of food while lessening the effects of climate change.

Despite earning a low score in the 2024 Global Hunger Index (GHI), current child malnutrition rates show that Guyana continues to suffer from  acute food insecurity. However, counteractive measures such as increasing agricultural productivity may help lessen the number of affected people. Joint efforts by the state and organizations such as the United Nations are crucial in strengthening food systems and improving socioeconomic welfare in Guyana for the years to come.

– Ayesha Asad, Moon Jung Kim
Photo: Flickr

Updated: October 15, 2024

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Why Food Insecurity and Hunger Persist in Afghanistan

hunger in AfghanistanAmidst a country recovering from drought and conflict, COVID-19 threatens to increase the severity of food insecurity in Afghanistan. Food insecurity and hunger persist in Afghanistan; many people do not have the resources or access to consistently obtain enough nutritious food to live a healthy life. Many causes of this issue have accumulated over the years, such as a lack of education, underemployment, conflict, natural disasters and the poverty that accompanies food insecurity. Currently, more than 50% of Afghanistan’s population—over 17 million people—live under the national poverty line.

A lack of income results in less purchasing power and thus a decreased access to food, especially nutritious food. In Afghanistan, around 11 million people live with severe food insecurity; kids aged five and under account for two million of those living with food insecurity. Without access to proper nutritious food, starvation and malnutrition can stunt children’s growth, hindering brain development and causing growth and developmental impairments.

Three Main Reasons for Hunger in Afghanistan

  1. Drought: In 2018-2019, Afghanistan faced such a severe drought that the country is still struggling to recover from. This drought affected 22 out of the 34 Afghan provinces, causing major population displacement because people could not feed themselves. The majority of Afghans typically rely on subsistence agriculture. However, the drought destroyed crops, and markets can be hard to access. Ordinarily, 12% of the population cannot easily reach markets. This influx of people, as well as halting agricultural livelihoods, placed pressure on the cities people fled to.
  2. Floods: Floods are a common disaster during the rainy season and are a reason food insecurity and hunger persist in Afghanistan. Since March 2020, flash floods have caused damage to infrastructure and contributed to the loss of lives across 18 provinces, affecting around 15,300 people. The flooding destroyed thousands of houses and decimated thousands of crops; displaced families lost their livelihoods and precious possessions all at once. Close communities usually host those displaced while waiting for the rain to cease. However, given the current circumstances with COVID-19, this allows for an easier transmission of the virus. With farmland and crops destroyed, people still recovering from an intense drought now have even less to live off of.
  3. Conflict: A war spanning nearly two decades has also contributed to mass hunger in Afghanistan. Since 2001, the conflict between the Taliban and the United States, allied with the Afghan Northern Alliance, has killed tens of thousands of civilians and intensified problems of food insecurity, poverty and poor sanitation. As a result of the war, Afghanistan became isolated, unable to really participate in the global economy, meaning agriculture remained the main source of livelihoods—nearly 70% of Afghans depend on agriculture. However, agriculture alone is not reliable. War, along with drought and floods, have destroyed farmland and obstructed markets, leaving people without income and nourishment.

Added Pressure of COVID-19 Causes Hunger in Afghanistan to Worsen

COVID-19 makes the hunger problem much worse, exacerbating an already grim situation. Because of the virus, the price of food is rising. Due to heavy demands and little supply, prices for items like wheat flour and cooking oil increased by 23%. Additionally, the cost of rice and sugar increased by 12% more than it was previously valued. With a lockdown in place, most of those who work in Afghanistan’s large informal sector are not getting paid, so they have no way to purchase food, especially with the inflated prices.

Additionally, more than 115,000 Afghan migrant workers also returned from Iran due to lockdowns to rejoin their communities. These returning workers could potentially carry COVID-19, but also add even more strain to those trying to bring relief to the hunger problem.

Amidst the fight for food security, The World Health Organization (WHO) is sending aid to Afghanistan. The organization operate sites where people can collect food or cash, up to $40, to cover their food needs for two months at a time. Without a way to earn money, this gives people a reprieve from worrying about how to feed families.

The World Bank is also working with the Afghan government to create a warning system to recognize droughts in order to deal with the impending water shortage beforehand. An early response will allow people to prepare instead of struggling to survive during the crisis.

Since 2017, the government’s Citizen’s Charter Program has created community grain banks to help prevent food insecurity during the winter. The grain banks are located in 4,000 villages across the country.

Food insecurity and hunger persist in Afghanistan. Droughts, flooding, and conflict only exacerbate the problem, and the COVID-19 pandemic only threatens to worsen the situation. While there is still work to be done, organizations like The WHO and the World Bank, as well as Afganistan’s Citizen Charter Program, are working to help those facing hunger in the country. 

– Zoe Padelopoulos 
Photo: Pixabay

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The Continued Fight Against Hunger in Myanmar

Hunger in Myanmar
Myanmar, also known as Burma, is a nation with a diverse population of approximately 53 million people of at least 135 different ethnic groups. While it is the second-largest country in Southeast Asia, Myanmar remains one of the least developed nations in the world.

Progress in the fight against hunger in Myanmar

The country of Myanmar has made significant progress in the fight against hunger in the past few decades. The rate of under-five overweight children fell from 2.6% in 2009 to 1.5% in 2016. Myanmar’s low birth-weight prevalence also decreased slightly from 13.9% in 2000 to 12.3% in 2015.

The proportion of undernourished people in the population also declined remarkably. In 2019, around 1 in 10 Burmese were undernourished, which shows significant progress compared to 2000 where almost half of the population was undernourished.

Myanmar is also performing well among developing countries in reducing wasting in children. Wasting in children means having a low weight for height ratio, which is a strong predictor of under-five child mortality. Compared to the average developing country rate at 8.9%, Myanmar’s national under-five wasting prevalence stood at 6.6%.

Despite these achievements, more than a third of Myanmar’s population who live in poverty spend a significant amount of their limited income on food, and they are still struggling with malnutrition.

Malnutrition burden

Malnutrition among the under-five population is a serious factor when it comes to the state of hunger in Myanmar, as it hinders the children’s growth and development. This issue also exposes these children to various illnesses.

Approximately 29.4% of the children under five were stunted in 2016. While this percentage is indeed an improvement from the national prevalence of 35.1% in 2009, it is still significantly high when compared to an average of 25% in other developing countries. In some states or regions, the prevalence could be upwards of 41%, indicating that 4 in 10 children will not be able to reach their full potential in life.

Malnutrition also disproportionately affects children from the poorest households. While the rate of stunting in children from the wealthiest group is 16%, the rate is more than doubled for the poorest group of children, with 38% of them stunted.

Malnutrition due to poor diets not only negatively affects the children, but is also a great burden to the adult population in Myanmar. A staggering 46.3% of women of reproductive age have anemia, while 7.9% of adult women and 6.9% of adult men are diabetic. Meanwhile, 4% of men and 7.3% of women are obese, leaving them at risk of different cardiovascular diseases and other serious health consequences.

Rohingya crisis

The Rohingya people are among those who are the most at risk of poverty and hunger in Myanmar, a predominantly Buddist nation. The Rohingya population, a large majority of whom are Muslims, has long been experiencing discrimination, restrictions from basic services and denial of citizenship by local authorities despite condemnation from the international community.

In 2017, after attacks from the Rohingya insurgents killed several members of Myanmar security forces, the Myanmar military ferociously retaliated by massacring and destroying villages in the western Rakhine state. This forced nearly 700,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee to Bangladesh. After the army crackdown, the World Food Programme (WFP) estimated that more than 80,000 children under 5 years old living in parts of western Myanmar were wasting and may need treatment for malnutrition.

Withholding food supply or forced starvation are other strategies being used against the Rohingya Muslims to drive them away from their homes. The Rohingya refugees interviewed by Amnesty International reported that soldiers blocked them from accessing rice paddies and other food resources, stole their harvests, and gave their food and livestock to non-Rohingya neighbors. Sometimes they would have to go for several days without food.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims who have been displaced due to violence in previous years must live in makeshift shelters with appalling living conditions and under direct threat of dangers caused by monsoon rains. Surveys show that 38% of children living in these camps are stunted, and at least 12% are suffering from severe malnutrition.

Assistance from the international community

High exposure to natural disasters, armed conflicts or inter-communal clashes are just some of the numerous challenges that Myanmar faces. These factors combined leave a large proportion of Myanmar’s population suffering from poverty and hunger. It is estimated that nearly 1 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance.

Since 1994, Action Against Hunger has worked to fight hunger in Myanmar by improving nutrition, food security, water quality, sanitation and hygiene in vulnerable communities where ethnic minorities reside. In 2018, the organization’s nutrition and health programs reached 26,751 people. Another 19,461 people benefited from the water, sanitation, and hygiene programs, while 23,790 people were helped by the food security and livelihood programs. In just 2018 alone, Action Against Hunger has reached 76,312 in vulnerable communities across Myanmar.

The organization also works to respond to the urgent needs of the displaced Rohingya people who fled from violence in Myanmar. In just one year, Action Against Hunger has helped more than 700,000 displaced people with food security and livelihoods, mental support and care practices, water quality and access, and hygiene and sanitation.

 

Despite the challenges, Myanmar has achieved the 2015 Millennium Development Goal of halving hunger and reached the status of a lower-middle-income country in the past decades. Many organizations are working hard alongside the government to alleviate poverty and hunger in Myanmar. However, with the conflicts between Myanmar’s authorities and the Rohingya Muslims remains ongoing inside the nation, there is still a lot of work to be done.

– Minh-Ha La
Photo: Flickr