The world’s poor could face widespread hunger soon, the World Economic Forum heard at its annual conference.
“We cannot ignore the warning signs of an impending global security issue that could impact millions around the world in areas where the pandemic and catastrophic climate events, conflict and rising prices are hitting really hard,” said Svein Tore Holsether, president and chief executive officer of global fertilizer giant Yara International.
“This is a potential security issue capable of destabilizing societies and forcing people into poverty, hunger and migration.”
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Holsether and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres discussed the issue during a session of the week-long annual gathering of many of the world’s most powerful government, business and philanthropic players in Davos, Switzerland. For the second year in a row, the event moved online.
Guterres said the slide into food insecurity is the reverse of the recent trend.
“For the first time after a long period in which hunger was every year decreasing in the world, we have witnessed an increase of hunger that is something that is morally absolutely intolerable and that has consequences,” said Guterres.
Weather problems causing poor crops in both importing and exporting nations have squeezed supplies and caused prices to soar.
The pandemic has caused food supply chains to choke, leaving some areas without food even when world supplies are available.
The UN has boosted the awareness of food security recently, with its Food Systems Summit in late 2021 connecting food and hunger focused people from around the world.
It has also created a food security hub within the organization, “creating the conditions for the agricultural recovery to be a main factor in the (world) recovery, especially in developing countries and particularly in Africa,” said Guterres.
The situation is worst in Africa, where crop yields are low, recent bad weather events have hit production and conflicts have disrupted and cut off populations from food supplies.
Guterres said technical innovations are helping African farmers market their crops, reducing the power of middlemen and providing more stability for crop production. Strengthening those markets is key to helping African farmers advance.
