Kenya faces a food crisis that could escalate within the next few months.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, acute food insecurity is likely to deteriorate further in 20 countries within the next few months. Over 43 million people in 38 countries across the globe are now at risk of famine or a food crisis, unless they receive immediate life-saving support.
Organised violence or conflict remain the primary drivers of world hunger, followed by weather extremes and climate variability. The COVID-19 pandemic also continues to disrupt economies. High food prices and low household purchasing power are major economic concerns for food insecurity rising, especially here in Kenya.
The top five countries of hunger concern are: Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Yemen, Nigeria and South Sudan. In Ethiopia, escalating conflict and extreme weather caused by the climate crisis have worsened access to food in the country. The political situation, particularly in the Tigray region, remains volatile and the violence has disrupted people’s lives. Communities have had no choice but to flee their homes – limiting access to agricultural land and other livelihoods.In Nigeria, conflict remains a key driver of hunger. The violence is causing disruptions in markets and farming practises, affecting people’s ability to earn income and forcing people to leave their homes. Families living in war-torn Yemen are facing the world’s worst humanitarian crisis in decades. The escalating armed conflict remains one of the main causes of life-threatening hunger in the country today. The economic situation in Afghanistan has quickly deteriorated since the political transition in August. Over 90% of the population has been pushed into poverty and hunger is escalating.
Here is the full list of hunger hotspots around the world:
- Afghanistan
- Angola
- Burkina Faso
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Ethiopia
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Kenya
- Lebanon
- Madagascar
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mozambique
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Syria
- Yemen
