Hunger creeps silently…an international warning of the danger of famine
Hunger is creeping silently…an international warning about the danger of famine
In a new UN report ringing alarm bells, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations World Food Program revealed a bleak future that threatens millions of people in multiple regions of the world, as the specter of famine looms on the horizon, threatening the lives of residents in afflicted areas such as Gaza, Sudan, South Sudan, Haiti and Mali.
The report indicates that the continuation of conflicts, the deterioration of economic conditions, and the decline in financial support from donors are all factors pushing these countries towards disaster, and in light of this tragic scene, the global food crisis becomes a direct threat not only to the lives of individuals, but also to the entire path of sustainable development, which calls for urgent and collective action to save lives and protect the future of humanity.
From this standpoint,Defenders of the Earth, through this article, reviews the dimensions of the UN report and also addresses the reasons that led to this escalating danger. Explaining the relationship between hunger and conflicts, and highlighting the impact of the international decline in financing for development and the resulting catastrophic repercussions on millions of people who find themselves trapped between the fires of conflict and the specter of famine.
Gaza between hunger and bullets
The famine disaster in the Gaza Strip is a reality that is becoming clearer day by day, as the UN report clearly indicates that the extensive military operations carried out by the Israeli occupation directly impede the arrival of necessary humanitarian aid, and contribute to tightening the pressure on the civilian population.
Under the weight of the tightening siege, rising food prices, and the collapse of livelihoods, more than two million people in Gaza are at risk of food insecurity, as the entire population is expected to be in a “crisis or worse” situation by next September, including approximately 470,000 people who will reach the “catastrophe” level, which is the highest level before famine is declared.
This crisis – which is considered a humanitarian crime – heralds a complete economic and social collapse in the Gaza Strip, and raises urgent questions about the fate of development and stability in a region that has long suffered from marginalization and international exclusion. What is happening in Gaza clearly shows how wars undermine the basic pillars of development, set societies back decades, and make it more difficult to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in health, food security, equality, and justice. Without urgent and real intervention, Gaza may turn into a dark mirror of the failure of the international community to protect humanity and achieve sustainability.
Sudan between declared famine and political denial
Although United Nations reports indicate that cases of actual famine have been monitored in Sudan since 2024, the Sudanese government refuses to acknowledge this, and this complicates relief efforts and delays the international response, and in light of the continuing war and bloody conflict in regions such as Kordofan and Darfur, millions of civilians find themselves caught in the jaws of displacement and hunger.
The United Nations estimates the number of people in a state of “crisis or worse” at more than 24 million people, of whom 637,000 are already living in “disaster” conditions, which places the country facing a major humanitarian catastrophe. These huge numbers do not only reflect the scale of the crisis, but also indicate the extent of the international inability to deal with disasters that strike marginalized areas.
Sudan once again shows how armed conflicts can turn into an effective tool for destroying food security, in a country that was once known as Africa’s breadbasket. As the conflict intensifies and international funding declines, the humanitarian response appears besieged and stalled. Which leaves millions of lives facing hunger and death. Here the importance of integrating the principles of sustainability and peace into development policies emerges, as the absence of political stability, worsening marginalization, and absence of justice are all factors that fail to achieve any of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and keep entire peoples hostage to suffering.
Violence creates famine in Haiti and Mali
Haiti is also on the path to food collapse under the control of armed gangs, widespread violence, and worsening displacement crises, as United Nations reports indicate that more than 8,400 people in the capital “Port-au-Prince” are currently living in a state of “food disaster”, which is the highest number in years in this Caribbean country that is suffering from a series of successive crises.
Haiti is not alone, as Mali is also heading towards the same fate. Chronic conflict and high grain prices have put more than 2,600 people on the brink of famine, and although the numbers appear relatively small compared to Sudan or Gaza, they warn of an expansion of the danger if preventive measures are not taken.
These two examples highlight the interconnectedness between economic, social, and security factors in the food disaster industry, and reveal the fragility of humanitarian systems in regions suffering from state weakness and the spread of armed groups. From a sustainability perspective, the continued deterioration in Haiti and Mali threatens the collapse of the education, health, and labor systems, and makes achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in those countries nearly impossible, unless local solutions and long-term international support are strengthened.
South Sudan suffers from hunger
South Sudan – the youngest country in the world – faces an uncertain future in light of the worsening political and environmental crises. More than 7.7 million people – more than half of the country’s population – are currently living in conditions of “crisis or worse,” according to the UN report.
This disastrous situation is due to the combination of several factors, most notably internal political tensions, the continuation of armed conflicts, climate risks such as floods, in addition to the deterioration of the economic infrastructure.
South Sudan clearly reflects how conflict and climate change factors can combine to produce comprehensive humanitarian disasters; Affected communities in this country are often isolated from support networks, and lack the basic infrastructure that enables them to withstand repeated crises. This situation requires reconsidering the development models applied in those countries, and adopting sustainable strategies that take into account environmental and social fragility, in order to enable communities to build food systems that adapt to shocks and do not collapse at the first crisis.
Inspiring successes in the face of hunger
Amid this bleak scene, the UN report indicated that some countries have emerged from the list of “hotspots” for hunger, such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Lebanon, and Zimbabwe, thanks to improved climate conditions and more flexible local policies. Although this progress is encouraging, it is still fragile and subject to relapse at any moment.
The United Nations has warned that the successes achieved are not permanent, and that preserving them requires long-term political and financial commitment, and this confirms the necessity of focusing on prevention and building sustainable food systems, instead of relying on emergency interventions only.
Benefiting from the experiences of these surviving countries can provide important lessons in how to deal with hunger and poverty, especially when there is real political will and investment in agricultural and food infrastructure.
In the face of the threat of global hunger, which does not differentiate between one continent and another, nor between one people and another,Earth Guards believes that the commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has become an existential necessity; The absence of food security necessarily means the absence of health, education, peace, and human dignity. Therefore, the United Nations report is an explicit call for international solidarity and urgent collective action. To overcome these crises, and achieve a more just and sustainable future for all.
