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Everything to Know About Hunger in Burkina Faso 

Hunger in Burkina FasoBurkina Faso, a landlocked country in West Africa, struggles with conflict-induced household displacement. This poses significant challenges to crop production and harvests, resulting in issues of hunger in Burkina Faso. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported that in 2022, more than 90% of the surveyed households were involved in crop production. According to the same report, many of the surveyed households experienced several conflict-related challenges.

Shocks

In 2022, the FAO conducted the DIEM (Data in Emergencies Monitoring) assessment, surveying more than 5,000 households throughout Burkina Faso. The survey asked households whether they had experienced any of several shocks as early as three months prior to August 2022. Among the surveyed households, 70% reported experiencing one or more shocks in that timeframe. Sickness or death of a household member accounted for 46% of the reported shocks, while higher food prices accounted for 31%. In the Sahel region, 55% of those surveyed reported an increase in food prices.

On top of the widespread increase in food prices, 50% of households throughout the country reported experiencing a decrease in primary income. Apart from increasing food prices, up to 81% of respondents in the Sahel region reported experiencing a decrease in primary income.

Inflation Crises

The FAO reports that Burkina Faso’s inflation rate reached as high as 18% between July and August 2022, further contributing to the hunger problem. Repeated instances of conflict in the Sahel and Centre-North regions have led to significant population displacement in those areas. Among the survey respondents, more than 70% reported crop production difficulties. Nearly 40% of crop producers reported insufficient access to irrigated water, and 59% reported insufficient access to fertilizers. Of the households that participated in the FAO survey, 96% reported a need for food production assistance in the following six months. Among them, more than 60% reported needing food assistance.

Reports from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) suggest that around 40% of Burkina Faso’s population lives below the poverty line, and up to 20% of the population is classified as food insecure.

Actions Toward Change

There are ongoing efforts aimed at decreasing hunger in Burkina Faso and alleviating its short-term and long-term effects. The Food Agriculture Organization (FAO), along with other humanitarian organizations such as the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), are working hard to combat these issues. At the annual meeting of the Network for the Prevention of Food Crisis in West Africa, the UNICEF, FAO and WFP issued a joint statement calling on other governments to increase their investments in support of Burkina Faso and other struggling neighboring countries by strengthening their food security and nutrition programs.

The FAO has reached more than 600,000 people in Burkina Faso, assisting them with food production. Additionally, the FAO provides cash-based transfers and complementary services to more than 400,000 people.

In 2021, USAID provided almost $12 million in funding to support agricultural production, food security and vulnerable communities in Burkina Faso. The organization also helps farmers by increasing their access to water for agricultural purposes and mitigating the effects of climate-related shocks on their livelihoods.

Looking Ahead

Several organizations are working tirelessly to combat the rising levels of hunger in Burkina Faso despite the challenges posed by rising inflation rates, intense conflict in the northern regions, decreasing primary income and insufficient livelihood protection. One of the main goals is to ensure that more citizens can get access to food.

– Christopher Dickinson
Photo: Flickr

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Updates on SDG 2 in Pakistan Amid Floods

Updates on SDG 2 in Pakistan
In 2015, U.N. Member States adopted the  Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030. These goals provide a “blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet.” The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development forms a holistic plan to combat poverty, inequalities, poor health care, extreme weather patterns and more. SDG 2, in particular, aims for zero hunger. With extreme climatic conditions globally and the impacts of the Russia-Ukraine war, food insecurity levels are rising. As of September 2, 2022, floods in Pakistan have led to water submerging a third of the nation. Almost 1,200 people have died and 3,500 people have faced injuries. Pakistan’s floods have affected 33 million people and 6.6 million of these people face severe impacts. Updates on SDG 2 in Pakistan provide insight into the impacts of the floods on the nation’s progress toward zero hunger.

Updates on SDG 2 In Pakistan: Deteriorating Conditions

Around the globe, SDG progress reduced in 2021 due to slow economic recovery in low- and middle-income countries and the impacts of extreme weather conditions. Pakistan, being both a low-income country and a nation with vulnerability to climatic disasters, lags behind in terms of SDG progress. In 2021, Pakistan ranked 125 out of 163 on the SDGs index and had a score of 59.3, which is lower than the region’s average of 65.9.

One of the updates on SDG 2 in Pakistan is that, especially amid the Russia-Ukraine war, food insecurity has burdened an already struggling economy. The recent floods have exacerbated food insecurity in Pakistan.

Significantly higher rainfall has negatively impacted agricultural lands and livestock as well as transport infrastructure, reducing food access and raising food prices. As of September 22, 2022, 755,000 livestock had died nationwide and 1.9 million people are in need of food and agricultural aid. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Humanitarian Advisory Team also estimates that “73% of households in areas of flooding have inadequate resources to buy food.” Exacerbated food insecurity means Pakistan has taken a step backward in SDG 2 progress.

The Progress

However, not everything is ill-boding: Pakistan’s overall score on the SDGs index rose from 52.95 in 2015 to 63.10 in 2020, indicating significant progress. On a positive note, one of the updates on SDG 2 in Pakistan is that the nation saw an increase of “28.2[%] from the baseline” in several goals, including zero hunger, from 2015 to 2020.

In 2018, Pakistan’s government started working with the World Food Programme (WFP) to implement programs to reduce hunger across the nation in order to make progress toward SDG 2. These efforts include supplying food and nutrition aid after disasters to the most vulnerable groups through cash and food transfers. In 2019, the United Nations Human Settlement Programme started working with the Pakistani government to “restrict conversion of prime agricultural land into other uses.”

In September 2022, OCHA reported that the “lead agencies in food security and the agricultural sector” have supplied “food assistance and livelihood support” for around 410,000 people in Pakistan’s most flood-affected provinces.

Pakistan’s government also took immediate action to aid flood-affected households: $173 million in cash transfers to 1.5 million households. With the help of the U.N., Pakistan “launched a multisectoral flood response” initiative to assist 5.2 million individuals for at least six months. This program includes an agenda to restore livelihoods dependent on crops and livestock.

Looking Ahead

In response to the extreme weather patterns, in May 2022, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif created a task force focused on mitigating the effects of the adverse weather and had a meeting in August 2022 on the swift “implementation of climate adaptation policies.” The prime minister acknowledged the urgency of the situation in a tweet once the meeting ended: “Gone are the days when climate change was the subject of drawing room discussions. It is affecting our everyday life. Food and water security [are] directly linked to climate hazards.”

In order to ensure Pakistan’s progress in SDG 2 and other goals, mitigating the effects of climatic hazards is key as is strengthening the country’s resilience to shocks.

– Samyukta Gaddam
Photo: Flickr

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5 Things to Know About the Hunger Crisis in Myanmar

Hunger Crisis in MyanmarOngoing crises throughout the world such as inflation and social unrest have left many of the poorest populations in even more vulnerable situations. Myanmar is an example of one country that is grappling with numerous crises resulting in a dramatic rise in hunger levels. Here are five things to know about the hunger crisis in Myanmar.

5 Things to Know About the Hunger Crisis in Myanmar

  1. Political Takeover: In February 2021, the former ruling party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), was overthrown by the military in a coup de tat. The civil unrest initially started with peaceful protests but gradually escalated to riots and, subsequently, a retaliatory response by the military. The situation progressed to the point where the military was destroying whole towns at any sign of dissidence. This unstable political state displaced over 1 million people and forced millions more into poverty.
  2. Food Shortages: The need for humanitarian aid in Myanmar has grown at an exponential rate since the military coup. As of 2022, more than 25% of people in the country are food insecure. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), 13.2 million Burmese do not know where their next meal will come from and the food that they do get is insufficient in meeting their nutritional needs.
  3. Impact of the Pandemic: Myanmar is still reeling from the economic impact of COVID-19. According to the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the nation lost between 6.4 and 9.0 trillion Kyat ($3.04 billion and $4.29 billion) due to a lack of production in 2020. To compound the effect, the World Bank projected the economy contracted by 18% in 2021. These economic pitfalls have played significantly into the ongoing hunger crisis in Myanmar.
  4. Children: The hunger crisis plaguing the nation especially affects children. The U.N. reports almost 8 million children are out of school across Myanmar and 250,000 are internally displaced. In addition, roughly 33,000 could die in 2022 due to preventable causes such as lack of immunizations and malnutrition. Furthermore, children also end up as political ploys with hundreds currently being held as political prisoners. In addition, over 1,400 children faced arrest without justifiable cause since the 2021 coup.
  5. International Aid: The international community has acknowledged that the crisis in Myanmar is far from over. In March 2022, the United States pledged $152 million to help alleviate the suffering of countless Burmese. Myanmar will allocate this funding to the provision of basic needs and help the displaced individuals find their way back home.

Food crises continue to run rampant across the world. The road ahead is not smooth or easily traversable by any means, but countries and organizations remain committed to providing aid to those in dire circumstances. As long as there is awareness, there is hope.

– Alex Peterson
Photo: Flickr

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5 Charities Operating in Cameroon

5-charities-operating-in-cameroon
The nation of Cameroon is a Central African country with a population numbering roughly 27 million. Cameroon is categorized as a lower-middle-income country, with the COVID-19 pandemic having a considerable impact on its economy. Cameroon is currently facing a humanitarian crisis, with almost 4 million people in need of humanitarian aid amid continuing violence due to the Boko Haram insurgency in Cameroon and increasing numbers of refugees entering the nation. In specific, five charities operating in Cameroon aim to address the humanitarian crisis.

5 Charities Operating in Cameroon

  1. CARE International. CARE International is a nonprofit organization that has provided essential aid and assistance to Cameroon since 1978. The organization aims to address lack of access to water, food insecurity, disease outbreaks and environmental degradation. In Cameroon’s northern region, CARE International worked to “distribute emergency cash and health kits, promote community hygiene and nutrition and construct shelters,” according to CARE’s website. CARE International reached 5,849 people through crisis response initiatives in 2021, with a direct impact on more than 144,000 people across all programs.
  2. UNICEF. To address the humanitarian needs that Cameroon’s population is facing, UNICEF requires $76 million in funding to achieve its 2022 goals. The funding is most urgently needed in the areas of food and nutrition, child safety and protection as well as water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). In terms of health, UNICEF aims to provide measles vaccinations to more than 190,000 children in Cameroon. Additionally, UNICEF aims to treat more than 64,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition.
  3. Hope For Children Cameroon. Hope For Children Cameroon assists communities through education, sanitation and nutritional support programs. In its continued work, Hope For Children Cameroon has increased the quality of life of more than “3,000 children, youth, men and women.” Education is the charity’s prime focus, with projections that the continent of Africa will be home to more than one billion youth by 2030. To prepare for this future eventuality, Hope For Children encourages donors to support the Adopt a School Project, which aims to secure assistance to complete infrastructure and supply resources to provide education for Cameroonian youth.
  4. World Food Programme (WFP). The WFP is a U.N. food assistance organization that assists in combating food insecurity and malnutrition while providing related support to people throughout the globe. In Cameroon, the WFP estimates that more than 55% of the nation endures poverty, struggling to meet their basic needs, especially in rural areas. Through cash-based transfers, the WFP reduces food insecurity among families. The cash transfers also benefit local businesses and spur growth in local economies. Providing the necessary help on the ground is organized through the assistance of the U.N. Humanitarian Air Service, which has an approved budget of more than $5.7 million in 2022 for assistance to Cameroon.
  5. Action Against Hunger. Action Against Hunger has worked to address issues relating to food insecurity in Cameroon since 2014. Since it began its work in Cameroon, the organization has assisted in “treating [more than] 60,000 children and 28,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women” through mobile clinics, the organization’s website says. In 2020, Action Against Hunger reached 600,000 people through programs and initiatives.

Looking to the Future

Cameroon’s immediate needs for food, water, sanitation and disease prevention remain the most crucial obstacles to solve for charities operating in Cameroon today. Addressing the current humanitarian crisis amid violence and instability is essential to safeguard the well-being of citizens.

– James Garwood
Photo: Flickr

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Rising Levels of Food Insecurity in South Sudan

Food Insecurity in South SudanThe North African country of South Sudan is currently facing its worst hunger crisis to date. Estimations indicate that close to 8.5 million people out of the nation’s total population of 12 million people “will face severe hunger” in 2022, marking an 8% spike from 2021. There are several reasons for the worsening levels of food insecurity in South Sudan.

Issues Contributing to Food Insecurity in South Sudan

South Sudan’s most recent civil war, beginning in December 2013 and ending in February 2020, is one of the many reasons for the major food insecurity in South Sudan, among other issues. According to Oxfam International, the war caused an “economic free–fall,” leading to rising food prices and a crumbling economy. Furthermore, food stocks have diminished and harvests are poor due to extreme weather conditions.

The country is facing “the worst floods in 60 years,” affecting close to 1 million people and serving as a significant contributor to food insecurity in South Sudan. In just seven months, from May 2021 to December 2021, about 800,000 South Sudanese people endured the impacts of “record flooding” within the country. The floods have not only destroyed lands where crops were growing but have also led to the loss of a quarter million “livestock in Jonglei state alone.” The floods also swept away vital supplies such as fishing nets, impacting people relying on fishing in waterways as a means of securing food sources.

Along with the devastating floods, in 2021, the United Nations had to cut its food aid by about 50% due to reduced funding and increased costs of food. This reduction in the amount of food aid from the United Nations alone affects more than three million people.

Extreme Measures and Potential Collapse

To prevent starvation, families are resorting to extreme measures such as “ground-up water lilies” as their only meal of the day. Other people living in hunger have attempted to flee to other towns and states in search of food and shelter.

Further compounding the issue of food insecurity in South Sudan is “government deadlock as the country’s two main political parties try to share power.” Resistance among the political groups to work together is a cause of concern for the head of the United Nations mission in South Sudan, Nicholas Haysom, who warns of “a collapse in the country’s peace deal” if parties cannot find common ground in the political arena.

The World Food Programme (WFP)

One of the organizations working to help end food insecurity in South Sudan is the WFP. The WFP is currently employing a variety of methods to get food to the millions of South Sudanese people enduring food insecurity. These methods “include airdrops, all-terrain vehicles, river barges and SCOPE registration.”

The WFP utilizes airdrops as a last resort to deliver food to the most “dangerous and inaccessible” locations in South Sudan where safe road travel is not possible. The WFP also utilizes SHERPs, a type of all-terrain vehicle, to deliver food supplies to isolated areas where travel is challenging but still possible. The SHERPs can traverse the most adverse roads, go over obstacles and “float across water” in flooded areas.

The WFP also uses river barges that run along the Nile River to transport food to families who live in areas where there are no roads. Lastly, the WFP uses SCOPE, which is a blockchain service employed to “register and document people who receive food assistance” from the WFP. SCOPE helps workers to track the individuals receiving assistance and record each person’s “nutrition and health status” and determine full recovery and treatment success.

Looking Ahead

Although the situation in South Sudan is dire and experts predict these circumstances will worsen, many organizations are committing to providing as much aid as possible to South Sudanese people facing the devastating impacts of several disasters. By supporting these organizations, even an ordinary individual can make a difference in reducing food insecurity in South Sudan.

– Julian Smith
Photo: Flickr

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Everything to Know About Hunger in Angola

Hunger in AngolaThe catalyzation of food insecurity is causing around 6 million people to fall into hunger in Angola, according to UNICEF. The number of people going hungry in Angola, however, continues to rise due to the most severe drought since 1981 in conjunction with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The spread of droughts, especially in Southern Angola, caused the death of 1 million cattle. This created surges of poor malnutrition and severe illnesses. Despite this, hope exists for those suffering from hunger in Angola.

Drought

The severe drought in Angola has continued spreading for almost three years now, traumatically affecting hunger in Angola. Crop production has decreased by nearly 40%, forcing more families into poverty. The drought has, within only three months in Cunene, Angola, tripled levels of food insecurity. The growing scarcity of food and heightening hunger of Angolans is pushing them to seek refuge in proximate countries such as Namibia.

Pedro Henrique Kassesso, a 112-year-old man, can attest that this three-year-long drought has been the worst he has ever experienced in Angola. The drought has affected almost 500,000 children. Not only has food insecurity heightened, but school dropout rates have risen due to increasing socioeconomic troubles. Hunger in Angola has forced children to put aside their education to support their families in collecting food and water.

Longing for Land

Former Angolan communal farmers are longing to get land back from commercial cattle farmers. According to Amnesty International, the Angolan government gives the land to commercial cattle farmers. Commercial cattle farmers have taken 67% of the land in Gambos, Angola. The battle for land has exasperated the hunger levels of communal Angolan citizens who have been reliant on their land and livestock for survival. The combination of loss of land and drought equates to millions of Angolan citizens ending up in poverty.

Despite the drought and rising food insecurity in Angola, people from neighboring countries are seeking refuge in this nation. As of 2017, 36,000 people have undergone displacement from the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and found refuge in Angola. Because of asylum seekers and refugees fleeing to Angola, the nation’s population is rapidly growing. Angola’s population is growing by 1 million people every year, according to the World Population Review. As a host country to asylum seekers, battles for land, ongoing drought and rapid population growth, more people are succumbing to poverty and hunger in Angola.

Hope on the Horizon

Despite the surging levels of food insecurity in Angola, hope is rising on the horizon. In fact, the government of Japan donated $1 million toward United Nations agencies that serve to uplift Angolan citizens who have succumbed to poverty especially due to the drought and the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy of Angola. The donation from Japan, along with the funds raised to end hunger in Angola by the World Health Organization (WHO) and World Food Programme (WFP) projects to at last tackle the issue of malnutrition and hunger in Angola.

– Nora Zaim-Sassi
Photo: Flickr

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WFP In Venezuela Feeds School Children

WFP in Venezuela
In April 2021, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) reached a deal to distribute food to vulnerable school children in Venezuela. The program ambitiously seeks to help 185,000 students in 2021 alone and 1.5 million children by the end of the 2023 school year. Since schools in Venezuela remain closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, parents and teachers can pick up rations at their local schools. A monthly ration consists of nine pounds of lentils, 13 pounds of rice, one pound of salt and one liter of vegetable oil. The WFP additionally manages its own supply chain and partners with local teachers and nongovernmental organizations to distribute food. Once schools open again, the WFP in Venezuela will also teach school faculty about food safety.

First Shipments Arrive

Recently, the first shipments of food arrived in Maracaibo, Venezuela. The stockpile includes 42,000 packages of food for this month. The WFP in Venezuela targets children under six deemed to be the most food insecure. Originally, the program began in the state of Falcón and intends to expand to other Venezuelan states gradually. The first set of rations went to a total of 277 schools in the state of Falcón.

Venezuela’s Economic Crisis

According to the Council on Foreign Relations, 96% of Venezuelans live below the poverty line. The country is heavily reliant on the export of natural gas and oil. In fact, oil makes up one-quarter of Venezuela’s gross domestic product (GDP). As oil prices dropped dramatically in 2014, Venezuela began to undergo an economic crisis. Between 2014 and 2016, oil prices had decreased from $100 to $30 per barrel. Since 2015, over 5 million Venezuelans have left the country in search of better opportunities, according to the United Nations. Additionally, Venezuela’s GDP reduced by two-thirds between 2014 and 2019.

Venezuela was once the second-largest producer of oil in the world, behind the United States. Venezuela was also a founding country of OPEC in 1960. The country has had a long history of dictatorships and consolidation of the oil industry, which the state and a select few companies controlled. Some believe that the current president, Nicolás Maduro, underwent reelection through undemocratic means in 2018. In January 2021, after Maduro had claimed victory in the election, candidate Juan Guaidó argued that Maduro had won illegitimately. The United States and several other countries acknowledged Guaidó’s victory.

Although exact figures are unknown, the WFP estimates that one-third of Venezuelans do not have enough to eat. Furthermore, approximately 16% of children suffer from malnutrition within the country. About 7 million Venezuelans are in need of humanitarian aid.

The Importance of WFP in Venezuela

The WFP in Venezuela is much needed as the country struggles economically and fails to provide for its citizens. WFP representative Susana Rico said that “We are reaching these vulnerable children at a critical stage of their lives when their brains and bodies need nutritious food to develop to their full potential.” Hence, this program will be instrumental in providing the necessary resources to underserved young children.

– Kaylee DeLand
Photo: Flickr

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5 Facts About Child Poverty in Bolivia

child poverty in BoliviaBolivia is one of the most impoverished countries in Latin America. According to Children Incorporated, Bolivian children account for 2.5 million of nearly 60% of the total population living in poverty. Bolivian children face malnutrition, inadequate access to education and child labor. Several organizations are showing their commitment to addressing child poverty in Bolivia.

5 Facts About Child Poverty in Bolivia

  1. Rural areas in Bolivia suffer higher rates of child poverty. People living outside urban areas have fewer opportunities for economic growth. Roughly three out of four residents of rural areas live in poverty. Higher poverty rates in rural areas mean families cannot adequately care for their children, intensifying child poverty rates. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), “almost one-third of Bolivians living in rural areas cannot afford the cost of a basic food basket.” In rural children younger than 5, the stunting rate is almost 24%.

  2. Poverty directly links to the mortality rates of children younger than 5. Poverty-ridden conditions lead to diarrheal diseases, which account for 36% of the total deaths of Bolivian children younger than 5. Malnutrition accounts for about 28% of the total mortality rate for children in this age group.

  3. Many Bolivian children are out of school and involved in child labor. Roughly 13% of Bolivian children are not enrolled in school and about 26% of children are involved in child labor to provide an income for their families. Although primary education is compulsory, free and available to children between the ages of 6 and 13, attendance is low. Fortunately, Save the Children implements early childhood learning programs, early literacy programs and innovative training for educators. The organization educated 68,000 Bolivian children in 2020 alone and promotes education, sustainable income and food security to help fight child poverty in Bolivia.
  4. Bolivian children are vulnerable to exploitation and sexual abuse. “Bolivia has the highest rate of sexual violence in Latin America,” especially among children. Equality Now estimates that one in three Bolivian girls experiences violence of a sexual nature before reaching 18.  As a result, Bolivia has “the highest adolescent pregnancy rate in Latin America.” At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, A Breeze of Hope, a nonprofit that supports sexually abused children, received several calls from children who were stuck with their abusers during the lockdown.
  5. Indigenous Bolivian children face high levels of marginalization. Bolivia is home to the largest group of Indigenous people in Latin America.  Indigenous people often lack access to healthcare and education due to disparities in culture, language and location. Schools in Indigenous communities have few or no libraries and school materials. Indigenous children also face violence, food insecurity and inadequate access to sanitation.

Fighting Child Poverty in Bolivia

In addition to the efforts of Save the Children and A Breeze of Hope, the WFP directly assists the Bolivian government in combating malnutrition and food insecurity. Children Incorporated works with 14 projects in the Bolivian cities of La Paz, Sucre and Santa Cruz. The organization provides children with basic necessities and school materials. Additionally, Canadian Feed the Children provides more than 355,000 nutritious snacks and meals to Bolivian children annually. It also sponsors classes to educate parents on “healthy child development” and children’s rights. Although there are still challenges to overcome, significant work is being done to eradicate child poverty in Bolivia.

– Cory Utsey
Photo: Flickr

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4 Key Facts About Hunger in Uganda

Hunger in Uganda
The landlocked country of Uganda is located in East Africa. Poised to be a significant oil-producing country, Uganda has an estimated 6.5 billion barrels worth of oil reserves in its territory. Nevertheless, Uganda remains a lower-income country. The people of the country have struggled to combat hunger in Uganda even though poverty decreased from 56% in 1993 to 21.4% in 2016. Because of poverty, Uganda faces widespread malnutrition, which has led to more than 110,000 deaths of children between 2004 and 2009. Organizations have committed efforts to address the issue of hunger in Uganda.

4 Key Facts About Hunger in Uganda

  1. Uganda has a fast-growing population due to refugee intake. The refugee population in Uganda has increased from 200,000 in 2012 to more than 1.2 million. As a whole, these refugees are coming from Uganda’s neighbors, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This is partly because of Uganda’s willingness to accept and aid refugees. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has praised the country’s refugee policies. Rather than placing refugees in designated camps, Uganda gives refugees a plot of land and access to services such as healthcare and education. As benevolent as these policies are, the rise in Uganda’s refugee population strains already limited resources and funds.
  2. Dependence on agriculture increases hunger in Uganda. In order to reduce malnutrition, there has been a focus on increased agricultural output globally. The rate of global agricultural production has increased, but the level of undernourishment in developing countries remains at 13.5%. In Uganda, for example, agriculture makes up 25% of the GDP and it provides the main source of income for all rural households. But, despite this agricultural output, Uganda still suffers from a 30% malnutrition rate. A study conducted in Eastern Uganda finds that some rice cultivators starve as they sell all the food. While the effects vary, agricultural reliance in Uganda has increased supply, but access to food has not necessarily increased. This leads to high levels of food insecurity.
  3. Hunger in Uganda has significant economic impacts. The effects of malnutrition extend far past the immediate deaths it causes, having substantial and negative consequences for the economy at large. Specifically, malnutrition negatively impacts “human capital, economic productivity and national development.” High rates of malnutrition require healthcare intervention, which puts strain on the healthcare sector and economy. Moreover, malnutrition makes individuals more prone to diseases, incurring costs to families and the health system. Undernourished children are more susceptible to diseases like malaria and anemia, which can burden the country with a cost of $254 million annually. Overall, the national income is reduced by 5.6% as a result of the undernourishment of young children stemming from hunger in Uganda.
  4. International aid organizations address hunger in Uganda. Aid organizations are committing to creating significant progress in the fight against hunger in Uganda. The World Food Programme (WFP) has dedicated efforts to prevent and treat malnutrition in Uganda. Among other activities, the WFP initiatives provide nutrition-sensitive money transfer as well as nutrition counseling in the areas of Uganda most affected by malnutrition. Action Against Hunger provides nutritious food vouchers to refugees and implements digital, data-driven technology to optimize agricultural production. To date, Action Against Hunger’s nutrition and health programs have reached more than 110,000 people. Moreover, the government has joined multiple international commitments to reduce hunger in Uganda. As a signatory of the Malabo Declaration, by 2035, Uganda seeks to reduce the impacts of childhood malnutrition to 10% for stunting in children younger than 5 and 5% for wasting.

Overall, the efforts of organizations and the commitment of the Ugandan Government show a strong dedication to combating hunger in Uganda and improve the lives of people in the country.

– Kendall Carll
Photo: Flickr

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Addressing Malnutrition in Burkina Faso

Malnutrition in Burkina FasoBurkina Faso is a country in West Africa that is home to more than 20.9 million people. The Burkinabe people have dealt with ongoing instability, displacement and food insecurity as the result of the dissolution of a government regime in 2014. With 40% of the country’s population living in poverty, there is a clear need for humanitarian assistance. Humanitarian organizations like the World Food Programme have been working to help combat food insecurity and malnutrition in Burkina Faso.

Current Situation in Burkina Faso

The World Food Programme (WFP) released its 2020 Annual Country Report for Burkina Faso, which contains various statistics and the humanitarian goals for the country until 2023. Burkina Faso has experienced an 80% increase in the number of internally displaced people (IDPs) since 2019, with more than one million IDPs. The WFP estimates that 15% of the country’s population, or 3.3 million people, face food insecurity.

Save the Children, a humanitarian aid organization, states that more than 1.5 million children under 5 are affected by the nutrition crisis in Burkina Faso. COVID-19 has worsened the situation in Burkina Faso as it becomes more difficult to get humanitarian aid to those in need. Other factors contributing to the current food insecurity crisis in Burkina Faso include the armed conflict, droughts and poverty.

Humanitarian Response

The WFP states that the number of people it reached in 2020 doubled compared to 2019, with the WFP reaching more than two million people. The WFP has worked in Burkina Faso to provide people with cash transfers and emergency school feeding initiatives. It also provided more than 305,000 children as well as pregnant and lactating women with treatment for acute malnutrition. The organization’s ability to help the Burkinabe people weakened as COVID-19, access and security restraints as well as regional instability made it more difficult for assistance to reach vulnerable populations.

Save the Children has been working in Burkina Faso since 1982, reaching more than 85,000 children in 2020. The nonprofit is focusing its efforts on providing children with a healthy start to their lives, providing children with opportunities to learn and protecting them from any potential harm. The organization has been working with the Burkina Faso Ministry of Health to strengthen healthcare systems in the country. The organization has programs that provide food assistance, clean water, sanitation and hygiene products to children, pregnant women and mothers.

Save the Children works with schools and teachers to create literacy centers to improve the quality of education for children. An alternative education program called Youth in Action focuses on providing an education to IDPs and children without access to school. The education program focuses on literacy, basic finance knowledge and developing life skills. The organization is also working to protect children from dangerous jobs, educating people on ways to protect their children and promoting parenting methods that support children. Other efforts also promote local organizations that are actively working to provide children with more opportunities and end child marriage in Burkina Faso.

Looking Forward

With 40% of the population living in poverty, increasing insecurity from conflict and more than a million IDPs, Burkina Faso is facing a growing humanitarian crisis that requires continued humanitarian attention to combat. COVID-19 has caused the conditions in Burkina Faso to deteriorate as humanitarian assistance becomes more difficult to deliver. The WFP and Save the Children intend to increase efforts to combat malnutrition in Burkina Faso by providing nutritious food, building resilience and empowering the Burkinabe people.

– Gerardo Valladares
Photo: Flickr