CLIMATE and conflict are some of the primary drivers of food insecurity and escalating global hunger. Some 673 million people face acute hunger despite the world growing enough food to feed everyone on the planet twice over. Apart from causing death and ill health, the duo is pushing millions below the poverty line each year.

Over the long term, climate change is known to reduce land fertility, crop production and the nutritional value of food. Extreme weather events damage crops, destroy harvests and prevent communities from accessing food. Conflicts worsen the hunger crisis by disrupting supply chains and causing price hikes of basic food commodities. Both climate and conflict displace populations and expose them to hunger.

Global food prices rose sharply in 2022 amid the Ukraine crisis, when supply routes were disrupted. The current Middle East conflicts have further increased the risk of food insecurity, with disrupted supply chains for fuel and fertilisers, which are key requirements for agriculture. The Food and Agriculture Organisation’s food price index registered a 2.4 per cent increase between February and March. The World Food Programme estimates some 45m more people could face acute hunger this year if the conflict........

© Dawn