345 Million Acutely Food Insecure People Worldwide - WFP

On Wednesday, the World Food Program (WFP) warned of an overwhelming increase in the number of people in acute food insecurity worldwide from 2019, with 135 million in acute hunger before the COVID-19 pandemic. 

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WFP regional director Corinne Fleischer referred to the increase in these figures and said they are expected to soar even higher due to climate change and conflict. 

In this context, Fleischer said that the impact of environmental challenges could cause food shortages and lead to conflict and mass migration.

"We see now ten times more displacement worldwide because of climate change and conflict, and of course, they are inter-linked," the director said, expressing deep concern about the combined effect of COVID-19, climate change, and the conflict in Ukraine.

The official said the Ukraine conflict has been massively detrimental to the Middle East and North Africa, a region near the Black Sea that relies heavily on imports.

According to Fleischer, "Yemen imports 90% of its food needs. And they took about 30% from the Black Sea," while in Iraq, an oil-exporting country that benefited from rising oil prices, food security is at risk with severe drought and frequent water crises threatening small farmers' livelihoods across the country.

Of the 16 million people in need of food assistance, WFP helps 13, although its aid only covers half of a person's daily needs due to insufficient funds. Since COVID-19, there has been an average cost increase of 45 percent, with Western donors in financial trouble due to the conflict in Ukraine.