A new UN report says chronic hunger is increasing globally

Entitled 'World Food Assistance, Preventing Food Crisises:" the new report by the World Food Programme (WFP) warns that chronic hunger is increasing around the world and food crisises are spreading and intensifying.  It asks what causes these crises to break out, what determines their scale and how they might be prevented.

Please find below a summary of the report's findings: 

"Among the most telling findings of the report is the huge amount of money in food assistance costs that could be saved by the taking of preventative action. An end to violent conflict – one of the main drivers of hunger – could reduce food assistance costs by up to 50 percent per annum.

A one-point increase in peace and stability on the World Bank’s measure of these conditions – known as the Index of Political Stability and Absence of Violence - could result in a saving of nearly US$3 billion (based on 2016 data).  In real terms, this would mean –

In Syria, WFP would save US$300 million a year

In Yemen, WFP would save US$205 million a year

In Somalia, WFP would save US$85 million a year"

Ending conflict is vital,” says WFP’s Chief of Food Systems Steven Were Omamo who masterminded the report. “But preventing food crises also requires long-term investment in education, infrastructure and economic growth. While increases in per capita income help countries limit the scale of food crises, even low-income countries can prevent crises by making these investments.”