The United Nations on Tuesday warned that the world is at risk of widespread famines “of biblical proportions” caused by the coronavirus pandemic, reported the BBC.
David Beasley, head of the World Food Programme (WFP), said urgent action was needed to avoid a catastrophe. According to a newly published report, the number suffering from hunger is estimated to go from 135 million to more than 250 million. It found that the people in 55 countries were in living in situations of acute food crises or outright humanitarian emergencies since last year.
The United Nations agency said those most at risk are in 10 countries affected by conflict, economic crisis, and climate change. The fourth annual Global Report on Food Crises also listed the names of countries including Yemen, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Nigeria, and Haiti.
As per the report, 61% of the population of South Sudan was affected by the food crisis last year. Notably, even before the coronavirus pandemic hit, parts of East Africa and South Asia were already reeling through severe food shortages caused by drought and the worst locust infestations for decades.
During the United Nations Security Council during a video conference, Mr. Beasley said the world had to “act wisely and act fast”.
“We could be facing multiple famines of biblical proportions within a short few months,” the WFP head said. “The truth is we do not have time on our side.”
He added that with the expertise and partnerships, the WFP aims to bring together the teams and the programmes necessary to make certain the Covid-19 pandemic does not become a human and food crisis catastrophe.
Mr. Beasley said if those people could not be reached, “300,000 people could starve to death every single day over a three-month period”.
The World Food Programme has estimated that $350m will be needed immediately, but only about a quarter of the sum has yet been forthcoming.
