Sudan, Burkina Faso, Haiti we had Mali who have been elevated to those highest level of alertness, joining Afghanistan, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan we had Yemen.
In addition, a possible El Niño – a naturally occurring weather phenomenon that has a warming effect on sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific – is also raising fears of climate extremes in vulnerable countries.
Against ‘money-as-you-go’
The report calls for urgent humanitarian action to save life and livelihood, and to prevent hunger and death.
“It’s business-as-usual there is no choice in today’s risk perspective if we want to achieve global food security for all, ensuring that no one is left behind,” said Dongyu Qu, FAO Director-General.
It shows the need for it immediate involvement in the agricultural sector “to pull people out of hunger, help them rebuild their lives, and provide long-term solutions to address the root causes of food insecurity.”
Worse than ever
Extreme food insecurity is set to increase in 18 “hunger zones”, comprising 22 countriesaccording to the report.
“It’s not that more people have more opportunities around the world that are hungry, but how the hunger they face is worse than ever“Cindy McCain, WFP Executive Director.
The Sudanese conflict is leading to displacement and hunger. More than a million Citizens and refugees are expected to flee the country, while an additional 2.5 million inside the borders are set to face starvation in the coming months.
The report warns that the possible regression of the crisis carries the risk of negative effects in neighboring countries. If the conflict continues, it could cause further displacement and disruption to trade and humanitarian aid flows.
Economic shocks continue
Meanwhile, economic shocks and stresses continue to drive extreme hunger in almost all places, carrying the trends seen worldwide in 2022, mainly due to the damage from the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
Afghanistan, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen are at the highest alert level for severe famine.
In addition to Sudan, three other countries – Haiti, Burkina Faso and Mali – have also been elevated to this level due to restrictions on the movement of people and goods.
“It’s all the top-level places community facing or project to combat hunger, or who are at risk of falling into catastrophic situations, because they already have emergency levels of food insecurity and are facing dire causes. These places require the most urgent attention,” the UN agencies said.
The report lists the Central African Republicthem Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Pakistan we had Syria as hotspots with very high concern, along with Myanmar.
All of these countries have large numbers of people facing serious food insecurity, with worsening drivers expected to increase life-threatening conditions in the coming months.
Other places are Lebanon, Malawi, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras we had Nicaragua.
Sudan food distribution
Meanwhile in Sudan, the WFP began distributing food aid on Saturday to thousands of people trapped in the capital, Khartoum, since fighting broke out six weeks ago.
The distribution comes in the final days of a seven-day ceasefire agreed by the army, which is set to end on Monday evening, local time.
“This is it a major breakthrough. We are finally able to help families stuck in Khartoum who are struggling to make it each day as food and basic supplies dwindle,” said Eddie Rowe, WFP Country Director.
Workers have been working around the clock to reach people in the city since the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the armed group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), broke out in mid-April.
“A window opened at the end of last week which allowed us to start distributing food,” said Mr. Rowe, adding that “WFP must do more, but that’s it.” depending on the group to conflict and security and access they guarantee in reality on the ground. “
Support action
WFP is rapidly increasing the distribution of emergency food aid throughout Sudan.
New updates with distribution to some 12,445 people in positions controlled by both parties in Omdurman, part of the Khartoum district.
More food aid is predicted to continue to be distributed in the capital for as long as the security situation allows, with the target being reached at least 500,000 people.
Distribution of food and food resumed over the weekend in Wadi Halfa in the Northern Province to 8,000 Sudanese who fled Khartoum and are making the long journey to Egypt. Last week WFP resumed distribution to 4,000 displaced people in Port Sudan, a city on the Red Sea.
The UN agency has rapidly scaled up support to reach 675,000 people so far with emergency food and nutrition assistance in 13 of Sudan’s 18 states to begin operations earlier this month. Operations stopped after three workers were killed in North Darfur on 15 April, the first day of the conflict.
As hunger rises, WFP is stepping up to support 5.9 million people across the country and needs $731 million to reach them.
