On April 22, 2024, the Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC) was released, highlighting a sobering reality. In 2023, the global food crisis affected millions, with 281.6 million people, 21.5 percent of the analyzed population, experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity in 59 countries and territories. The report underscores the complex and intertwined drivers of food insecurity, compounded by structural vulnerabilities, which increase the difficulty of responding to and recovering from shocks.

The GRFC found that, in most of the ten largest food crises, the main drivers of acute food insecurity are conflict, weather extremes, and economic shocks, affecting 135 million, 72 million, and 75 million people respectively. These findings are particularly relevant to EMPHNET, as six out of the top ten countries facing high levels of acute food insecurity are in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, and Syria.

The report dedicates a significant portion to Gaza and Sudan, highlighting the severe food crises seen in these areas. In late 2023, the Gaza Strip faced one of the most severe food crises according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) and GRFC history, with the entire population experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity. The devastation brought by hostilities, besiegement, mass displacement, destruction of critical infrastructure, and restricted humanitarian access drove over 1.1 million people into acute food insecurity.

In Sudan, the ongoing armed conflict has significantly impacted the agriculture sector, and the country now has the world’s largest internal displacement crisis, with about 7.7 million people displaced by the end of 2023. Alarming levels of acute malnutrition threaten the lives of children and women, with the country having a high prevalence of global acute malnutrition among children under five years. The GRFC also projected that in 2023, five countries are at risk of facing a food catastrophe (IPC/CH Phase 5). In Palestine alone, 576,600 people are projected to face such extreme conditions.

Acute malnutrition among children and women in food-crisis countries continue to worsen in 2023, particularly among displaced populations and those affected by conflicts. The report also estimates that 36.4 million children were acutely malnourished, including 9.8 million children with severe acute malnutrition and 26.6 million children with moderate acute malnutrition. The report identified the ten food crises with the highest number of children under five years with acute malnutrition in 2023, including Afghanistan with 3.2 million, Sudan with 3 million, Pakistan with 2.1 million, and Somalia with 1.8 million. Globally, 90.2 million people were displaced in 2023, including 26 million refugees and asylum seekers across 56 countries and 64.3 million internally displaced persons across 38 countries.

At the Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network (EMPHNET), we believe that partnerships and collaborative efforts are crucial for mobilizing resources, coordinating aid delivery, and developing sustainable solutions. We are actively studying ways to further support those affected by these crises, and we encourage all stakeholders to work together to address the escalating needs.

In conclusion, the Global Report on Food Crises serves as a stark reminder of the challenges we face. However, through unified action and commitment to public health, we can mitigate the impacts and work towards a future where everyone has access to nutritious food.