UN LISTS NIGERIA, MALI AMONG 16 GLOBAL HUNGER CRISIS HOTSPOTS

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Two United Nations food organizations cautioned on Wednesday that millions more individuals worldwide may confront famine, as funding deficiencies exacerbate already dire circumstances.

The collaborative report from the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Programme indicated that conflict and violence are contributing to severe food insecurity in the majority of the nations identified as at risk.

The Rome-based agencies highlighted Haiti, Mali, Palestine, South Sudan, Sudan, and Yemen as the most critical, “where populations face an imminent threat of catastrophic hunger. ”

Also designated as a “very high concern” were Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Nigeria, Somalia, and Syria, with Burkina Faso, Chad, Kenya, and the plight of the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh also included in the report.

“We are on the verge of a wholly preventable hunger catastrophe that endangers widespread starvation in numerous countries,” stated WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain, warning that inaction “will only exacerbate instability, migration, and conflict. ”

Funding for humanitarian assistance was falling “dangerously short,” the report noted, mentioning that only $10.5 billion had been secured out of the requisite $29 billion to support those at risk.

The WFP indicated that due to funding reductions, it had diminished assistance for refugees and displaced individuals while halting school feeding programs in several countries.

The FAO cautioned that initiatives to safeguard agricultural livelihoods were imperiled, “which are crucial for stabilizing food production and preventing recurring crises. ”

Funding was necessary for seeds and livestock health services, it emphasized, “before planting seasons commence or new shocks arise. ”