“Food Crisis Looms: How Can We Address This Global Problem?”
The current global food crisis has left millions of people facing starvation around the world. The United Nations reports that the number of people affected by hunger has risen to 828 million in 2021, which is an increase of about 46 million since 2020 and 150 million since the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. The magnitude of this global hunger and malnutrition crisis is immense, with more than 345 million people estimated to be facing high levels of food insecurity by 2023, according to the World Food Programme.
The
reasons for this crisis are multifaceted. Conflict, economic shocks, climate
extremes, and soaring fertilizer prices are combined to create a food crisis of
unprecedented proportions. The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically increased the
risk of severe hunger in some regions of the world.
To
address this problem, we need to take immediate action. Here are some solutions
that can help mitigate the scale of the food crisis:
1.
Supporting production and producers: The World Bank is
responding to this escalating crisis with four areas of actions: supporting
production and producers, facilitating increased trade in food and production
inputs, supporting vulnerable households, and investing in sustainable food
security.
2.
Facilitating increased trade in food and production inputs:
Increased trade in food and production inputs can help reduce the cost of
healthy diets, mindful of the limited public resources available in many parts
of the world.
3.
Supporting vulnerable households: Vulnerable households
need support to ensure they have access to adequate food. This can be done
through direct cash transfers or vouchers that can be used to purchase food.
4.
Investing in sustainable food security: Investing in sustainable
food security can help improve crop yields for farmers, reduce emissions across
the agri-food value-chain, and turn croplands and pastures into carbon sinks.
5.
Regenerative food systems: Regenerative food systems can
improve crop yields for farmers, reduce emissions across the agri-food
value-chain, and turn croplands and pastures into carbon sinks.
6. A marketplace for healthy and planet-smart food: A marketplace for healthy and planet-smart food can incentivize a chain of actions to mitigate transition risks.
7.
Country action: Key countries are showing it’s worth the
shared risk to drive smart, coordinated investment in transforming food systems.
8.
Innovation: Investments in innovation such as agricultural
research, technology transfer, and farm extension and advisory services can
help farmers directly; indirectly they increase overall food supply, helping to
contain upward pressure on food prices and dampen the price volatility associated
with tight markets.
In
conclusion, addressing the global food crisis requires immediate action from
governments, international organizations, businesses, and individuals alike. By
supporting production and producers, facilitating increased trade in food and
production inputs, supporting vulnerable households, investing in sustainable
food security, promoting regenerative food systems, creating a marketplace for
healthy and planet-smart food, taking country action, and investing in
innovation we can mitigate the scale of this crisis.
Source:
(1)
UN Report: Global hunger numbers rose to as many as 828 million in 2021.
https://www.who.int/news/item/06-07-2022-un-report--global-hunger-numbers-rose-to-as-many-as-828-million-in-2021.
(2)
A global food crisis | World Food Programme.
https://www.wfp.org/global-hunger-crisis.
(3)
undefined.
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/05/global-food-crises-report-conflict-2021/.
(4)
Recognizing and tackling a global food crisis - World Bank Group.
https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2023/01/05/recognizing-and-tackling-a-global-food-crisis.
(5) 3 key levers to address the urgent global food crisis.
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/01/davos23-key-levers-address-global-food-crisis/.
(6)
Solving the food crisis - OECD.
https://www.oecd.org/development/solving-the-food-crisis.htm.
(7)
. https://bing.com/search?q=food+crisis+millions+of+people+facing+starvation.
(8)
Global Food Crisis: A looming catastrophe | ORF. https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/global-food-crisis-a-looming-catastrophe/.
(9)
8 Ways to Fix the Global Food Crisis - U.S. News & World Report.
https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2008/05/09/8-ways-to-fix-the-global-food-crisis.
(10)
. https://bing.com/search?q=food+crisis+solutions.
Dr. Mayank Chandrakar is a writer also. My first book "Ayurveda Self Healing: How to Achieve Health and Happiness" is available on Kobo and Instamojo. You can buy and read.
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