World hunger is increasing, the UN warns of an “imminent catastrophe”

The UN has stated that the war that is taking place in Ukraine and the climate changes that threaten mass migration have influenced the increase in prices this year.

Up to 828 million people or nearly 10% of the world’s population were affected by hunger last year, 46 million more than in 2020 and 150 million more than in 2019.

These include the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Food Program and World Health.

“There is a real risk that these numbers will increase even more in the coming months,” said David Beasley, adding that rising prices in food, fuel and garbage stemming from the Russia-Ukraine war threaten to push countries into famine.

“The result will be global destabilization, famine and mass migration on an unprecedented scale. We must act today to avert this impending catastrophe.” he further added.

Russia and Ukraine are the world’s third and fourth largest grain exporters, respectively, while Russian countries are also a major exporter of fuels and fertilizers.

The war has disrupted their exports, pushed world food prices to record levels and sparked protests in developing countries that are already grappling with high food prices due to supply chain disruptions linked to COVID-19.

The UN report released this Wednesday warned of changes in food security, which have been faced by successive factors.

Calling for a review of agricultural policies, Reuters writes that the report said the global food and agriculture sector receives almost $630 billion a year in support that often fails to reach small-scale farmers, harms the environment and does not promote the production of nutritious food.

“Each year, 11 million people die because of unhealthy diets. Rising food prices mean this is only going to get worse.”said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

He said that WHO supports the efforts that countries are making to improve food, for a safe and healthy life.

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