ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳

The number of people facing acute food insecurity (IPC/CH 3 or worse) stands to rise to 265 million in 2020, up by 130 million from the 135 million in 2019, as a result of the economic impact of COVID-19, according to a ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳projection. The estimate was announced alongside the release of the Global Report on Food Crises, produced by ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳and 15 other humanitarian and development partners.

In this context, it is vital that food assistance programme be maintained, including °Â¹ó±Ê¡¯²õ own programmes which offer a lifeline to almost 100 million vulnerable people globally.

KEY DATA

• Some 265 million people in low and middle-income countries will be in acute food insecurity by the end of 2020 unless swift action is taken (source: ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳projection).
• The majority of people suffering acute food insecurity in 2019 were in countries affected by conflict (77 million), climate change (34 million) and economic crises (24 million people). (source: Global Report on Food Crises).
• 10 countries constituted the worst food crises in 2019:  Yemen, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Ethiopia, South Sudan, Syria, the Sudan, Nigeria and Haiti. (source: Global Report on Food Crises).
• South Sudan had 61 percent of its population in a state of food crisis (or worse) in 2019. Six other countries also had at least 35 percent of their populations in a state of food crisis: Sudan, Yemen, Central African Republic, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Syrian Arab Republic and Haiti. (source: Global Report on Food Crises).
• These ten countries accounted for 66 percent of the total population in Crisis or worse (IPC/CH Phase 3 or above) or 88 million people. (source: Global Report on Food Crises).

°Â¹ó±Ê¡¯²õ Chief Economist, Arif Husain said:

¡°COVID-19 is potentially catastrophic for millions who are already hanging by a thread. It is a hammer blow for millions more who can only eat if they earn a wage. Lockdowns and global economic recession have already decimated their nest eggs. It only takes one more shock ¨C like COVID-19 ¨C to push them over the edge. We must collectively act now to mitigate the impact of this global catastrophe.¡±

INTERVIEWS

°Â¹ó±Ê¡¯²õ Chief Economist and other senior staff available for interview ¨C please email WFP.Media@wfp.org

°Â¹ó±Ê¡¯²õ Global Spokespeople available for interview, see here for full list of media contacts.

MULTIMEDIA ASSETS

Video News Release on South Sudan and threat of COVID-19 available

Broadcast quality footage on food crisis countries.

Photos showing food crises countries and impact on COVID-19 available .

NOTE TO EDITORS

The Global Report on Food Crises, which is based on 2019 data, was released by a network of humanitarian and development partners, the Global Network Against Food Crises, of which ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳is a member.

Full 2020 Global Report on Food Crises available here.

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The United Nations ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ is the world¡¯s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies, building prosperity and supporting a sustainable future for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

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