According to The Guardian, the world is on the verge of a ‘hunger disaster’ as the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues for another two years, according to the head of the UN World Food Programme, Patrick Beasley. He stated that the world is presently experiencing an emergency food scarcity as a result of Russia’s blockade of 25 tonnes of Ukrainian grain, and that the current food affordability issue would worsen in the next years if no short- and long-term measures are implemented.
This warning comes as the number of individuals categorised as ‘acutely food insecure ‘has risen from 130 million to 276 million since the Covid disaster. ‘ Due to the Ukraine conflict, this figure has risen to 345 million. And 50 million people in 45 nations are now one step away from starvation,’ Beasley warned. ‘The world community must act now to halt this oncoming hunger disaster, or these figures will explode.’
‘Global food markets have been thrown into disarray, with surging prices, export prohibitions, and shortages of basic goods reaching well beyond Ukraine’s borders. This battle is affecting nations in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and even Latin America’. According to Beasley, global food security has deteriorated as a result of global instability in petroleum and fertiliser markets.
Food production and agricultural yields will be reduced unless prompt action is taken. This creates the terrifying prospect that, in addition to today’s food-price crisis, the globe may confront a serious food-availability crisis over the next 12 to 24 months, bringing with it the threat of several famines. Food prices hit a 10-year high in 2022, however there has been a minor decrease in the last two months. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as its Black Sea embargo, has exacerbated the problem.
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