A quarter-billion people faced hunger in 2022

More than a quarter-billion people in 58 countries faced acute food insecurity last year due to conflicts, climate change and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report published Wednesday.

The Global Report on Food Crises, an alliance of humanitarian organizations founded by the U.N. and European Union, said people faced starvation and death in seven of those countries: Somalia, Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Haiti, Nigeria, South Sudan and Yemen.

Jutta Urpilainen, International Partnerships EU commissioner said "The 2023 global food crises report gives us an even broader picture on global hunger than previous editions. And unfortunately, as we have heard the numbers are alarming. People in seven countries are facing situations close to famine. 35 million people are on the brink of starvation. 258 million people are experiencing an acute food and nutrition crisis."

While the increase last year was due in part to more populations being analysed, the report also found that the severity of the problem increased as well, “highlighting a concerning trend of a deterioration.”