The United States (UN) said it is committed to ending hunger and malnutrition and building more sustainable, equitable, and resilient food systems around the world.
In support of these efforts, the US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken is in New York City from May 18-19 to convene meetings to mobilise action on global food security.
“In 2021, more than 193 million people worldwide experienced acute food insecurity, an increase of 40 million people from the year before. It is estimated that as many as 40 million people are projected to be pushed into poverty and food insecurity by the end of the year,” the US State Department said in a statement.
“Shortages of fuel and fertiliser in many countries and accelerating spikes in food prices threaten to destabilise fragile societies, increase hunger and malnutrition, drive migration, and cause severe economic dislocation. Conflict has greatly exacerbated food security issues globally.”
It said the “Days of Action on Global Food Security” is one component of the US’s multi-pronged strategy to help mitigate the food security crisis through humanitarian assistance, multilateral engagements, and increased food production. We are taking action to end hunger and malnutrition and build more sustainable, equitable, and resilient food systems at home and abroad.
“We have announced over $2.3 billion in new global humanitarian food assistance since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February, with a particular focus on countries hardest hit by food price hikes,” the State Department added.
“We will announce additional new emergency food assistance at the May 18 Food Security Ministerial, bringing the U.S. total for emergency food assistance since February to nearly $2.6 billion.
“The United States is doing its part at home to mitigate the global fertilizer shortage by acting to boost domestic production of fertilizer through a $500 million USDA programme.”
The State Department added: “Through Feed the Future and our nutrition commitments, we are committing over $5 billion over the next five years to address food security threats and nutrition across the globe in addition to the over $4 billion in humanitarian assistance funding, recently signed into law, for Ukraine and its neighbours.
“We will issue a Roadmap for the Global Food Security Call to Action to reflect the outcomes of the May 18 Food Security Ministerial, outlining commitments that participants have made to address these challenges.
“We will strengthen resilience by building inclusive and equitable food systems that empower women, youth, and disadvantaged communities to weather the effects of climate change, conflict, and supply chain disruptions, as noted at the UN Food Systems Summit last year.”
Meanwhile, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres says global hunger levels are at a new high, and in just two years, the number of severely food insecure people has doubled, from 135 million pre-pandemic to 276 million.
He made the remarks to the Global Food Security Call to Action in New York.
“Two weeks ago, I visited the Sahel region of Africa, where I met families who do not know where their next meal is coming from. Severe acute malnutrition – a wasting disease that can kill if left untreated – is rising. Farm animals are already dying of hunger,” he said.
“Leaders told me that because of the war in Ukraine, on top of the other crises they face, they fear this dangerous situation could tip into catastrophe. They are not alone.
Global hunger levels are at a new high. In just two years, the number of severely food insecure people has doubled, from 135 million pre-pandemic to 276 million today.”
He said if the UN did do not feed the people, it will feed conflict.
Warring Ukraine and Russia produce almost a third of the world’s wheat and barley and half of its sunflower oil. Russia and Belarus are the world’s number two and three producers of potash, a key ingredient of fertiliser.
“If high fertiliser prices continue, today’s crisis in grain and cooking oil could affect many other foods including rice, impacting billions of people in Asia and the Americas,” Guterres said.
He also urged Russia must permit the safe and secure export of grain stored in Ukrainian ports.
“Alternative transportation routes can be explored – even if we know that by itself, they will not be enough to solve the problem. Russian food and fertilisers must have unrestricted access to world markets without indirect impediments.”
