New report warns hunger is expected to rise in 23 global hotspots

In a recent development, two UN agencies on Friday warned that hunger is expected to rise in 23 global hotspots in the next three months with the highest alerts for “catastrophic" situations in Ethiopia’s embattled Tigray region, southern Madagascar, Yemen, South Sudan and northern Nigeria.

The Food and Agriculture Organization and World Food Program, in a new report on “Hunger Hotspots” between August and November said that “acute food insecurity is likely to further deteriorate.”

They have put Ethiopia at the top of the list as they say that the number of people facing starvation and death is expected to rise to 401,000. This is the highest number since the 2011 famine in Somalia, if humanitarian aid is not provided quickly.

Also read | Covid pandemic has pushed 100 million more people into poverty, UN report reveals

In southern Madagascar, which has been hit by the worst drought in the past 40 years, 14,000 people are expected to be pushed into “catastrophic” acute food insecurity. This will be further marked by starvation and death by September. 

Also, this number is expected to double by the end of the year with 28,000 people needing urgent help, the two agencies said.
FAO and WFP in the report said, "Acute hunger is increasing not only in scale but also severity". 

The report further added, "Overall, over 41 million people worldwide are now at risk of falling into famine or famine-like conditions, unless they receive immediate life and livelihood-saving assistance".