UN: Number of people in urgent need of food increases by 21.6 million

The number of people in need of emergency food assistance in 48 countries increased by 10 percent year-on-year, according to the mid-year update of the United Nations (UN) World Food Programme’s Global Report on Food Crises. WFP, a United Nations (UN) agency headquartered in Rome, has shared the mid-year update of its Global Report on Food Crises. According to the report, the number of people in need of emergency food assistance in 48 countries increased by 10 percent year-on-year. It was stated that the number of people experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity increased by 21.6 million in 48 countries since 2022, reaching a total of 238 million. It was stated that this was due to a 16 percent increase in the analysis coverage among already vulnerable populations in several countries, including Bangladesh, Angola, Ghana, Pakistan, and Nigeria, as well as persistent or increasing conflict, insecurity, extreme weather, and economic shocks elsewhere. “The situation is getting worse in nine countries” It was noted that the situation has worsened in nine countries, including Sudan, Somalia, and Burundi, since 2022. The report noted that severe acute food insecurity will continue in 2023 due to prolonged food crises and new shocks, while improvements have been recorded in some countries. It was noted that Sri Lanka, Niger, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are among the countries with improvements, but that recent developments in Niger may reverse this situation. The report stated that the lack of data is also a source of concern, with data not available from 25 countries or regions. The report also noted that almost 70 percent of people in need of emergency food assistance are in the 10 largest food crisis areas.