186.5M ARABS FACE MODERATE OR SEVERE FOOD INSECURITY: FAO

Mon 23 December 2024:

The number of people experiencing moderate or severe food insecurity in Arab countries reached 186.5 million in 2023, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Hunger rates in the region increased over the past year, with the prevalence of undernourishment rising to 14 per cent. Around 66.1 million people in the region were undernourished, with the highest rates recorded in low income countries, at 31.1 per cent, followed by the least developed countries at 28.8 per cent.

Revealing the figures at a conference titled “Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2024 in the Near East and North Africa: Financing the Transformation of Agrifood Systems for Food Security and Nutrition,” in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, on December 18.

__________________________________________________________________________

https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAtNxX8fewmiFmN7N22

__________________________________________________________________________

The FAO highlighted that the gap in undernourishment rates widened between conflict-affected and non-conflict-affected countries in 2023. Undernourishment in conflict-affected countries stood at 26.4 per cent, four times higher than the 6.6 per cent observed in non-conflict-affected countries.

Somalia, Yemen, Syria and Comoros recorded the highest levels of undernourishment.

In 2023, 39.4 per cent of the Arab population faced moderate or severe food insecurity. Of the 186.5 million affected, 44.1 million were in conflict-affected countries, representing the largest share of those experiencing severe food insecurity.

-MEMO

__________________________________________________________________________

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:

WhatsApp CHANNEL
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAtNxX8fewmiFmN7N22