Wars and economic shocks, nearly 200 million affected by hunger

(ANSA) - ROME, MAY 04 - In 2021 the people affected by serious food insecurity in the world reached the figure of almost 200 million with numbers destined to rise.

The alarm is contained in the FAO-UN-EU Food Program annual report, together with other members of the Global Network against Food Crisis.

In particular, the hunger emergency affects 193 million people in 53 countries / territories due to conflicts, economic shocks on prices and also due to the consequences of Covid, and extreme climatic conditions.

This represents an increase of nearly 40 million people since 2020, when there were 155 million people in 55 countries / territories.

   The report also denounces that "the war in Ukraine will have the most devastating impacts on countries in food crisis, beyond those already on the brink of famine".

Countries that already face high levels of acute hunger, "are particularly vulnerable to the risks created by the situation in Eastern Europe, in particular because of their high dependence on imports of food and agricultural products and because of their vulnerability to food price shocks".

Faced with this, "urgent humanitarian action on a large scale is needed".

   (HANDLE).