Current location:travel >>
Roundup: Experts warn hunger, food insecurity rising in Africa
travel38People have gathered around
IntroductionADDIS ABABA, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- Hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition are on the rise in Africa ...
ADDIS ABABA, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- Hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition are on the rise in Africa with the latest data showing that one in five people in Africa is facing hunger, African Union (AU) and United Nations officials have said.
This came at the high-level food and nutrition conference held Monday at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, with the call to act with urgency to the current food insecurity and nutrition crisis unfolding across the continent.
"Africa is no doubt facing one of the most alarming food crises in decades," said Josefa Sacko, AU commissioner of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, noting that the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict exacerbated the food insecurity and poverty in Africa given that Russia and Ukraine are major players of wheat and sunflower oil to Africa.
The commissioner further said the increasing frequency and severity of climate shocks, regional conflicts and the COVID-19 pandemic have also disrupted food production and distribution, driving up the cost of food in the continent.
Africa is experiencing the heinous burden of food insecurity with about 278 million of its people suffering from chronic hunger, said Abebe Haile-Gabriel, assistant director-general and Regional Representative for Africa of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, citing the latest report co-authored by the FAO.
"More than a billion people in Africa cannot afford a healthy diet," said Haile-Gabriel, warning that Africa is moving backwards in its effort to deal with hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition.
He indicated that an additional 46 million Africans have gone hungry over the last two years due to multiple and overlapping shocks including climate change, protracted conflict and excessive dependence on imports of basic commodities such as food and fertilizers.
Recent estimates for Africa show that chronic hunger affected 278 million in 2021 which corresponds to 20 percent of its population, according to the report.
The heightened level of food insecurity and malnutrition is expected to worsen this year due to increased incidence of conflicts and fragility in the region, high levels of poverty, climate shocks, environmental degradation and low agricultural productivity, according to a concept note released by the conference.
Food security and nutrition concerns on the continent are likely to persist as food demand on the continent is growing at an average rate of 3 percent per year as the continent's population grows at nearly the same rate and is likely to double to an estimated 2.4 billion by 2050, the officials warned.
The conference highlighted that the continent has turned out to be a net importer, buying an estimated 40 percent of its food from abroad, despite the fact that the continent possesses about 60 percent of the global share of arable land.
According to the officials, the conference was aimed at finding urgent solutions to the food crisis in the continent through mobilizing institutional and political commitments, building on the African common position on the food system by raising awareness and generating consensus among concerned stakeholders.
"We need to act with urgency and at scale in responding to the current food insecurity and nutrition crisis unfolding in Africa and avert humanitarian suffering," the commissioner said.
The high-level food security and nutrition conference was held under the theme "Mobilizing Support for Food and Nutrition Security," with participants including senior officials of UN agencies, continental organizations and officials of member states in attendance. ■
Tags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“International Insight news portal”。http://guyana.ekjotinstitute.com/article-57b199876.html
Related articles
Weather forecasters warn Pakistanis to stay indoors ahead of new heat wave
travelISLAMABAD (AP) — Authorities in Pakistan on Tuesday urged people to stay indoors as the country is h ...
【travel】
Read moreFeature: China's satellite TV aid project enlightens remote rural villages in Africa
travelNAIROBI, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Bako Auta, a resident of Hulumi village in Nigeria, vividly remembers t ...
【travel】
Read moreKing Charles diagnosed with cancer, halts duties
travelAs Britain's King Charles III undergoes treatment for a form of cancer, he will withdraw from public ...
【travel】
Read more
Popular articles
- Hush money trial: Trump witness Costello back on the stand after admonishment
- Xi extends Spring Festival greetings to all Chinese
- Xi Replies to Letter from Iowa's Muscatine High School Students
- Build a new world economic order with emerging forces: Italian economist
- Massey, Perez hit homers to lead Royals in 8
- CPC Leadership Discusses Draft Gov't work Report
Latest articles
Garcia, Winker go deep as Nats end slide, beat struggling Twins 12
There's spring in real estate recovery
China's economic recovery globally significant
Softer economic data call for quick, decisive action
How major US stock indexes fared Monday, 5/20/2024
China takes steps to enhance telecom service, easing access for foreigners: spokesperson
LINKS
- Mystery as Camp Lejeune Marine sergeant, 23, dies in late
- Ooh la lovely! Inside one of Paris's hottest new hotels
- Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice: Lose his arm or lose his life
- West Virginia confirms first measles case since 2009
- Donald Trump trial LIVE: Michael Cohen says ex
- West Virginia confirms first measles case since 2009
- Missouri lawmakers again try to kick Planned Parenthood off Medicaid
- Danny Mendick recalled, John Brebbia activated by struggling White Sox
- Without cameras to go live, the Trump trial is proving the potency of live blogs as news tools
- Danny Mendick recalled, John Brebbia activated by struggling White Sox