Conflict Causes Hunger
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) won the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize last week, highlighting the connection between food security, conflict, and peace. Did you know that conflict is the number one cause of hunger around the world? Today is World Food Day - keep reading for fast facts on food insecurity and more information on how we can help global and local communities.
Why violence causes food insecurity.
Globally, 10 of the 13 worst food crises are driven by conflicts. Conflicts destroy infrastructures, making it harder to produce, store, and afford food. For example, during armed conflicts roads are often blocked by warring factions, halting food transportation. Yemen has been engulfed in armed conflict since 2014 and represents the biggest global hunger crisis today. More than 70% of the population, totaling 20 million people, face food insecurity. Of that 20 million, 3.2 million women and children require medical treatment for acute malnutrition.
The "Zero Hunger" 2030 goal.
In 2015, United Nations Member States adopted 17 interconnected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a "2030 global call to action" to end poverty and protect the planet. The WFP's focus is Goal 2, which is also called Zero Hunger. It is "a pledge to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture." Even with ongoing wars and the coronavirus pandemic, the WFP is working to achieve this goal.
How WFP helps around the world.
To achieve the goal of Zero Hunger, WFP works across every aspect of food insecurity. In addition to providing food, the WFP helps countries to strengthen supply chains, address climate change, and prepare for natural disasters. In 2019, WFP assisted 97 million people in 88 countries. Their team believes that 270 million people could experience acute hunger by the end of this year.
Work toward global food security.
Solving global hunger is a massive challenge, but we can help by supporting one of the largest donors to the WFP. Based in Washington D.C., World Food Program USA (WFP USA) is a nonprofit that builds financial and political support within the U.S. for the WFP. Because of their work, for the past seventy years, the U.S. government and Americans have been top WFP donors.
And, local hunger relief.
Food insecurity in your community may have been caused by poverty, the pandemic, or a combination of chronic and new variables. We're building a list of trusted organizations that focus on hunger at local levels. Have a suggestion? Please email us! Here are the first three on our growing list:
Masbia (New York City): Masbia is a nonprofit soup kitchen network and food pantry that provides hot, nutritious meals for hundreds of New Yorkers facing food insecurity. In addition to a hot-meal program, Masbia gives out bags of groceries every week to those with inadequate food supplies.
DC Central Kitchen (Washington D.C.): DC Central Kitchen is a nonprofit and social enterprise that combats hunger and poverty through job training and job creation. The organization provides hands-on culinary job training for individuals facing barriers to employment while creating living wage jobs and bringing nutritious food where it is most needed.
Los Angeles Food Bank (Los Angeles): Since 1973, the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank has distributed more than 1.2 billion pounds of food. With the help of 30,000 volunteers each year and an agency network of more than 600 partner agencies, they serve more than 300,000 people every month.