A joint social media campaign appeals for more funding from politicians
Berlin, October 13, 2022 – 20 NGOs are launching a joint social media campaign with the hashtag #NoPlaceForHunger in response to the dramatically increasing number of people suffering from hunger worldwide. With World Food Day approaching on October 16, the NGOs are calling on German politicians to provide more funding in the fight against global hunger and are drawing attention to one of the worst hunger crises the world has ever seen.
Seven years ago, the international community set itself the goal of ending hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition by 2030. Given the alarming figures, this goal is becoming increasingly unattainable, as global hunger is currently on the rise
- 828 million people (1) worldwide struggle to find enough food. 345 million people are at acute risk of hunger – women, children, and people with disabilities are particularly affected.
- Nearly 26 million children (2) under the age of five suffer from malnutrition, of which 5 million children are at risk of death from severe wasting.
- Among the numerous hunger hotspots around the world, East Africa is severely affected, and Somalia in particular. After the fourth consecutive rainy season failed, 2.2 million people (3) in a life-threatening humanitarian emergency (IPC 4).
- Hunger will not disappear quickly. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, around 660 million people (4) worldwide could still suffer from hunger and food insecurity in 2030.
Overcoming the hunger crisis requires more immediate aid. The United Nations World Food Programme estimates a financial need of at least US$24 billion to provide urgent food assistance to 152 million people <sup>(5)</sup> . Only a portion of this has been secured so far. Moreover, the available funds will be far from sufficient. The structural causes of hunger must also be addressed. Effective early warning systems must be established and agricultural subsidies reduced. In addition, small-scale farmers in the Global South must receive greater support to move beyond mere subsistence farming and gain fair market access. Every person has the right to adequate, sufficient, and healthy food.
The time to act is now! It requires a concerted effort and clear political will. Therefore, we demand:
- In 2022, there is #NoPlaceForHunger ! The world and the German federal government must act now and provide additional flexible and rapid emergency aid.
- The hunger crisis won't disappear overnight. It will worsen. That's why we need long-term resources to combat it.
- Climate change is and will remain one of the strongest drivers of disasters and hunger. It is crucial to set priorities here, both in terms of content and funding!
Three main factors are driving the global hunger crisis:
- Climate shocks such as droughts and floods as a result of climate change threaten people's livelihoods and force them to leave their homes.
- As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, supply chains were disrupted. Significant economic losses occurred worldwide. Particularly in low-income countries, average household income has drastically decreased or disappeared.
- Wars and conflicts. For example, the war in Ukraine has driven food and fertilizer prices up to extreme levels this year.
https://www.wfp.org/global-hunger-crisis
Joint FAO-WFP Informal Membership Briefing on Emergencies from September 26, 2022
https://www.fao.org/state-of-food-security-nutrition/2021/en/
https://www.wfp.org/global-hunger-crisis
These NGOs are participating:
action medeor eV | ADRA Germany eV | arche noVa - Initiative for People in Need eV | Caritas International | Christoffel Blind Mission e.V. | Don Bosco Mondo eV | German Doctors e.V. | Handicap International eV | HelpAge Germany eV | Sign of Hope eV | Johanniter Accident Assistance eV | Children's Aid eV | Light for the World eV | Malteser International Europe/Malteser Relief Service e.V. | ora Children's Aid International eV | Plan International Germany eV | TERRA TECH Funding Projects e.V. | terre des hommes Germany eV | Veterinarians Without Borders eV | World Vision Germany eV