Within the last year, the United Nations found that over 285 million people faced food insecurity.
This marks a 34 percent increase from last year, when approximately 193 million globally faced food insecurity. The new UN report attributes some of the increase to the larger number of countries analyzed, which went from 53 in 2021 to 58 in 2022. However, 42 of the 58 countries were deemed to be in "major food crises," with 20 percent of their population — over 1 million in each — in the crisis stage. The number of people food insecure within the United States is estimated at 34 million.
“In fact, we are moving in the wrong direction. Conflicts and mass displacement continue to drive global hunger. Rising poverty, deepening inequalities, rampant underdevelopment, the climate crisis and natural disasters also contribute to food insecurity,” UN Secretary General António Guterres said in the report.
It is the fourth year in a row that food insecurity has risen, which was partially exacerbated the past year by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The main factor was extreme weather, which caused displacements, droughts, and flooding worldwide.
"Conflicts and mass displacement continue to drive global hunger," Guterres continued. "Rising poverty, deepening inequalities, rampant underdevelopment, the climate crisis, and natural disasters also contribute to food insecurity. As always, it is the most vulnerable who bear the brunt of this failure."
Guterres called on world leaders to take action to combat food insecurity, as “collective action” can reverse the crisis, which he added "demands fundamental, systemic change."
"This report makes clear that progress is possible," he said. "We have the data and know-how to build a more resilient, inclusive, sustainable world where hunger has no home — including through stronger food systems, and massive investments in food security and improved nutrition for all people, no matter where they live. With collective action and a commitment to change, we can ensure that every person, everywhere, has access to the most basic of human needs: food and nutrition."
