The trend to fewer hungry people has been reversed, prompting the Canadian Foodgrains Bank to ask for donations.
The number of hungry people is back to levels not seen for a decade, according to a new report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
The report says that increased climate variability and extremes combined with conflict are the key drivers eroding and reversing the substantial gains that have been made in reducing the prevalence of hunger.
It is estimated there are now about 821 million people, or one in nine people around the world who go to bed hungry each night.
“We are deeply concerned that after decades of progress, we are now falling back in the fight against hunger,” said Canadian Foodgrains Bank executive director Jim Cornelius.
“It is more important than ever that we continue to work toward the goal of a world without hunger. This means finding ways to reduce conflict and helping vulnerable people increase their resiliency to climate variability and extremes,” he said.
“We need to equip people and communities to prepare for and adapt to climate-related emergencies and changes.”
In 2017-18, almost half of all Foodgrains Bank programming went toward responding to hunger emergencies caused by conflict in places such as South Sudan, Syria and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Foodgrains Bank also trained small-scale farmers ito adapt their farming to better withstand drought, erratic rain and other severe weather conditions.
“In the face of rising hunger, it’s more important than ever for Canada to lend its support to its global neighbours, supporting peace-building efforts and helping to finance adaptation,” says Cornelius.
“We know ending hunger is an achievable goal, and we invite Canadians to join with us in helping to reach that goal.”
