17th October 2024

For this year’s World Food Day, we consider the global food security crisis and the vital role of local communities, local mutual aid groups, and their diaspora allies in addressing hunger in times of crisis.  

Food security is “the state in which people at all times have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs for a healthy and active life.” Despite a global food supply sufficient to feed the world, a staggering 2.33 billion people worldwide suffer from moderate or severe food insecurity. This paradox is rooted in unequal access to resources coupled with the devastating impacts of conflict and natural disasters like the War on Ukraine and the COVID-19 Pandemic severely driving up inflation rates and setting us back 15 years in food security progress. Global leaders are falling behind on their 2030 zero-hunger commitment with countries in the Horn of Africa experiencing complex emergencies  and labeled as some of the highest hunger hotspots in the world. 

With the consequences of prolonged food insecurity leading to severe malnutrition, disease, and further social unrest, there must be urgent action to coordinate efforts between local, national, and international humanitarian development and peace-building actors and policies and to transform agri-food systems for climate resilience. In the case of Sudan, in August 2024 the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warned of famine (IPC Phase 5, the most severe category of food insecurity) in parts of the country. This should be a ‘never again’ moment for the international community, and immediate and coordinated large-scale and sustained delivery of multisectoral assistance is urgently required to mitigate the loss of lives.

The Root Cause of Food Insecurity: 

To put it plainly, hunger is fundamentally about power. Power dictates who eats, and who goes without. Due to systemic inequalities, women, the displaced, and those with disabilities face additional barriers to accessing essential resources for survival. When layered with armed conflict and climate change, the impacts are devastating.

A 2022 report from Action Against Hunger indicated that conflict zones alone are responsible for producing 85% of those living with hunger crises and today remains the primary driver of food insecurity. Oftentimes conflict disrupts ways of living, disrupting harvests, hindering the delivery and access to humanitarian aid, and displacing families. Food insecurity is further compounded by the devastating impact of climate change on communities. As the earth’s temperature rises, the frequency and severity of natural disasters will only increase. Disasters such as drought and famine, flooding, heatwaves, and other climate shocks are destroying livelihoods and pushing communities deeper into hunger and aid dependency. 

Consequences of Food Insecurity

This prolonged food crisis has devastating consequences, especially for the most vulnerable populations. As conflict persists and displacement increases, communities face heightened risks of malnutrition and disease due to limited clean water and sanitation access. This leads to food-borne illnesses such as Hepatitis A, Listeria, and Salmonella, as well as chronic illnesses like Hypertension, Diabetes, and Coronary Heart Disease. Those who are food insecure are also at an increased risk of experiencing mental health and wellness challenges. Food insecurity is considered a psychosocial stressor that is linked to increased levels of psychological disorders such as anxiety, depression, and shame.

Additionally, the economic strain caused by prolonged food insecurity can further fuel social unrest and internal conflict, as perceived inequalities exacerbate tensions and desperation may drive people towards extremism.

Hunger Hotspots: Country Snapshots

In their 2024 Q3 report, the World Food Programme indicates that the countries with the highest concern for food insecurity where their condition is projected to deteriorate (“hunger hotspots”) are Mali, Myanmar, Palestine, South Sudan, and Sudan. Armed conflict and violence remain the primary drivers of food insecurity, where widespread displacement, destruction of food systems, and reduced humanitarian access are likely to worsen food availability and access. 

The Horn of Africa region in particular is experiencing a combination of conflict and climate challenges. In Sudan, millions face starvation due to the conflict which broke out in April 2023 and has destroyed lives and livelihoods. In South Sudan, the longstanding conflict since its establishment as a nation in 2011 has caused prolonged food insecurity where over half of its population (appx 7.1 million people) are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity. And in Ethiopia, millions experienced acute food insecurity at the peak of the lean season in August due to current and past conflict, weather, and economic shocks. The situation has been exacerbated over the last year, by rising food prices, recurring floods and other extreme weather events linked to climate change, and an influx of refugees from neighbouring countries. 

Addressing Food Insecurity:  Mutual aid, diaspora alliances, and the role of global cooperation 

So what now? With a 15-year setback and 2030 around the corner, there’s a lot of work to be done. UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated, [Global food systems are broken — They are the result of choices we have made. Millions of people are going hungry while nearly one-third of all food produced is lost or wasted.]” It’s high time to chart an alternative course– to build resilient systems and ensure equitable distribution of resources. Breaking the cycle of hunger and food insecurity requires an aggressive, multifaceted approach, including urgent long-term national and international investment to transform food systems, boost agricultural and rural development, and integrate humanitarian and peace-building policies.

Local communities, mutual aid groups, and local civil society are key to crisis response now, and to future resilience-building.  Local mutual aid groups and networks and their diaspora partners and allies are already working to address food insecurity in local communities from Myanmar to Sudan, through organising community kitchens, nutrition and feeding programmes, including in areas where international humanitarian organisations are not present. 

However, many mutual aid groups rely on local and diaspora philanthropy to support their work, and often struggle to access resources from international humanitarian partners due to bureaucratic delays and donor restrictions. In the case of Sudan, community kitchens organised by local mutual aid groups are having to pause or close their operationsdue to a lack of cash and food supplies as well as protection concerns

Addressing global food insecurity requires joined-up global action by all humanitarian partners, including local mutual aid groups and their diaspora allies. International humanitarian agencies and donors must increase the direct support available to local partners to avoid millions being affected by food insecurity over the coming months.

Recommendations:

• Invest in broader humanitarian ecosystems beyond formal humanitarian frameworks. This should include diverse funding modalities for increased direct funding of local mutual aid groups and their diaspora partners to enable them to scale up their humanitarian activities during complex emergencies. A ‘one size fits all’ approach cannot meet food security needs across such diverse local contexts.
• Integrate local communities and mutual aid groups in peacebuilding frameworks now, not as an afterthought:  As conflict is the main driver of hunger, humanitarian development, and peace-building policies must be integrated for a more sustainable approach, focusing on community-based approaches and livelihood support. A peace-building and conflict sensitivity lens should be applied to the food security response.
• Address the rural-urban divide: It’s projected that 7 in 10 will live in urban spaces in 2050, overcrowding cities and neglecting agricultural development. Urbanization must be addressed to reduce the urban-rural divide so that small-scale farmers are included in formal value chains and can regain the capital and land lost from urban expansion. This also calls for increased cost-effective financing. 
• Build climate resilience in agrifood systems: As the climate crisis progresses, climate resilience should also be scaled up across agrifood systems so that systems are resilient to the realities of climate change. This can be done through financial support across supply chains to incentivize the adoption of more regenerative agricultural practices, ensuring sustainability and making land more resilient to future climate realities.

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