Famine, a severe scarcity of food, is a pressing global issue that continues to affect millions of people today. Despite significant advancements in agriculture and food production, the world is still grappling with this age-old problem. So, how many famines are we currently facing globally?
Understanding Famine
Before delving into the numbers, it's crucial to understand what constitutes a famine. The United Nations (UN) defines a famine as a situation where at least 20% of the population in a given area is above the emergency threshold on the hunger scale, at least 30% of children under five are suffering from acute malnutrition, and at least two people out of every 10,000 are dying per day due to starvation or hunger-related causes.
Famines in the World Today
As of 2021, the world is facing four famines, according to the UN's Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system. These are:
- South Sudan: The world's youngest nation is facing its worst famine since independence in 2011. The conflict, economic crisis, and drought have left millions on the brink of starvation.
- Yemen: The war-torn country is experiencing the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with millions at risk of famine. The conflict, economic collapse, and COVID-19 have exacerbated the situation.
- Somalia: Despite being one of the first countries to declare a famine in the 21st century, Somalia is at risk of famine again due to drought and conflict.
- Northern Ethiopia (Tigray): The conflict in the Tigray region has left millions in urgent need of food assistance, with some areas on the brink of famine.
Other Countries at Risk
While not yet classified as famines, several other countries are at high risk of food insecurity and famine. These include:
- Burma (Myanmar)
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Nigeria
- Syria
Causes of Famine
Famines today are often caused by a combination of factors, including conflict, economic collapse, drought, and climate change. These factors disrupt food production, distribution, and access to food.
Addressing Global Famine
The international community is working to address these famines through humanitarian aid, peacekeeping efforts, and climate change mitigation. However, more needs to be done to prevent famines from happening in the first place.
In the words of David Beasley, Executive Director of the World Food Programme, "We cannot wait until people are dying of hunger to take action. We must act now to prevent more people from falling into hunger and dying from hunger-related causes."
