The United Nations has released a sobering report indicating that about 733 million people worldwide—or approximately 9 percent of the global population—may have faced hunger in 2023. This startling figure represents an increase of 152 million people since 2019, highlighting the escalating crisis of global food insecurity.
The report titled “State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2024: Financing to End Hunger, Food Insecurity and Malnutrition in All Its Forms” was unveiled on Wednesday. Published by five UN agencies—the Food and Agriculture Organization, the UN Children’s Fund, the World Food Programme, the World Health Organization, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development—the report provides an in-depth analysis of the current state of global hunger and malnutrition.
Launched in the context of the G20 Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty Task Force Ministerial Meeting in Brazil, the report paints a grim picture of the progress towards ending hunger and food insecurity by 2030. Despite global efforts, trends are not moving in the right direction, and the world is not on track to eliminate all forms of malnutrition.
“Billions of people still lack access to nutritious, safe, and sufficient food,” the report states, emphasizing the urgent need for increased financing and strategic interventions to combat hunger and malnutrition in all its forms.
The findings underscore the significance of collaborative efforts among nations, international organizations, and stakeholders to address the underlying causes of food insecurity. With the world grappling with challenges such as climate change, economic disparities, and conflicts, the report calls for immediate action to reverse the negative trends and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals related to hunger and nutrition.
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UN releases report on state of world food security, nutrition
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