This page is for archiving articles on the Covid lockdowns' effect on world hunger. Headlines without text link to articles previously published on the blog.
Oct. 23, 2020: Poor eating rats in second Myanmar lockdown
June 2, 2021: 100 million were pushed into poverty, says ILO
July 9, 2021: Six-fold increase in people suffering famine-like conditions since pandemic began | Oxfam (press release):
"A new Oxfam report today says that as many as 11 people are likely dying of hunger and malnutrition each minute. This is more than the current global death rate of COVID-19, which is around seven people per minute. The report, "The Hunger Virus Multiplies" says that conflict remains the primary cause of hunger since the pandemic, pushing over half a million people into famine-like conditions ― a six-fold increase since 2020. Overall, 155 million people around the world are now living in crisis levels of food insecurity or worse – that is 20 million more than last year. Around two out of every three of these people are going hungry primarily because their country is in war and conflict.
"The report also describes the massive impact that economic shocks, particularly worsened by the coronavirus pandemic, along with the worsening climate crisis, have had in pushing tens of millions more people into hunger. Mass unemployment and severely disrupted food production have led to a 40 percent surge in global food prices - the highest rise in over a decade."
UN report: Pandemic year marked by spike in world hunger |World Health Organization:
July 12, 2021 - "There was a dramatic worsening of world hunger in 2020, the United Nations said today – much of it likely related to the fallout of COVID-19. While the pandemic’s impact has yet to be fully mapped, a multi-agency report estimates that around a tenth of the global population – up to 811 million people – were undernourished last year. The number suggests it will take a tremendous effort for the world to honour its pledge to end hunger by 2030....
"'Unfortunately, the pandemic continues to expose weaknesses in our food systems, which threaten the lives and livelihoods of people around the world,' the heads of the five UN agencies write in this year’s Foreword.... Already in the mid-2010s, hunger had started creeping upwards.... Disturbingly, in 2020 hunger shot up in both absolute and proportional terms, outpacing population growth: some 9.9 percent of all people are estimated to have been undernourished last year, up from 8.4 percent in 2019....
"Overall, more than 2.3 billion people (or 30 percent of the global population) lacked year-round access to adequate food: this indicator – known as the prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity – leapt in one year as much in as the preceding five combined.... Malnutrition persisted in all its forms, with children paying a high price: in 2020, over 149 million under-fives are estimated to have been stunted, or too short for their age; more than 45 million – wasted, or too thin for their height; and nearly 39 million – overweight. A full three-billion adults and children remained locked out of healthy diets.... Globally, despite progress in some areas – more infants, for example, are being fed exclusively on breast milk – the world is not on track to achieve targets for any nutrition indicators by 2030."
Read more: https://www.who.int/news/item/12-07-2021-un-report-pandemic-year-marked-by-spike-in-world-hunger
Sep 28, 2021: Hunger is now killing more people than COVID-19 | World Vision Canada - Lisa Baldock:
"Every minute, hunger kills 11 people compared to seven COVID-19 deaths, according to a study by John Hopkins University.... A recent World Vision report found that since the pandemic was declared, soaring food prices combined with lockdown-induced job losses and disrupted nutrition services have made healthy food out-of-reach for 3 billion people. The report warns that 250 more children could die every day by 2022 from hunger because of COVID-19 aftershocks.
"In May 2020, global food prices reached their highest levels in a decade — in some places increasing by more than 50%.... Food prices in Canada have risen 4.8%, making it harder for some Canadians to buy healthy food. But for poorer countries already dealing with conflict or climate-related disasters, this price increase means malnutrition and starvation for many families. The impact has been greatest in places such as Syria, East Africa and Myanmar, according to the World Vision report. 'The aftershocks of COVID-19 are exacting a greater toll than the virus itself,' says Lindsay Gladding, Director of the Fragile & Humanitarian programs team at World Vision Canada. 'Food insecurity combined with the impact of conflict and climate change has created the perfect storm–leading to what could be the worst hunger crisis in generations.'"
Read more: https://www.worldvision.ca/stories/food/hunger-is-now-killing-more-people-than-covid-19
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzhEJk2pDeo
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