The magnitude and severity of food crises worsened in 2020, due to prolonged conflicts, the economic repercussions of COVID-19 and extreme weather events aggravated pre-existing fragilities. Forecasts point to a bleak outlook for 2021, as the threat of famine persists in several of the world’s worst food crises.
By the end of 2020, the global goal of ‘zero hunger’ by 2030 seemed increasingly unattainable. This follows a further annual increase in the number of acutely food insecure people in urgent need of food, nutrition and livelihood assistance.
The GRFC 2021 report focuses on food crises where local response capacity is insufficient and the urgent mobilization of the international community is required. It provides estimates for the populations of countries or territories that have data available and comparable with the Integrated Classification of Food Safety in Phases (CIF) and the Cadre Harmonisé (CH).
At least 155 million people in 55 countries or territories were in Crisis or worse (CIF / CH Phase 3 or higher) in 2020, an increase of around 20 million people compared to 2019. Among the 39 countries or territories included in the 2021 GRFC since 2016, the number of people in Crisis or worse (Phase 3 or higher of the CIF / CH), or equivalent, has increased from 94 million to 147 million people, reflecting that the levels have worsened and that the affected geographic area is greater.
Around 28 million people in 38 of the 43 countries or territories with CIF / CH analysis were in an Emergency situation (CIF / CH Phase 4) and needed urgent measures to save lives and livelihoods. Most of the people in these dire circumstances were in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan and Yemen, with at least 2 million people in Emergency (IPC phase 4) in each country
Source: European Commission’s Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations/Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/Food Security Information Network/World Food Program