Hunger on the Rise
2021 saw the Asia Pacific region end the year with the highest number of people facing acute food insecurity globally.
A spiralling combination of conflict, COVID-19 and climate-related shocks drove unprecedented waves of people into food insecurity in many countries. By year-end, 62.2 million people in the region were estimated to be facing acute food insecurity.
This is three times higher than pre*-*COVID-19 levels. Just as many countries were recovering from the first year of COVID-19, many failed to maintain their progress due to successive shocks. These shocks further exposed structural inequalities - disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable people.
"This year [2021], we saw hunger reaching new peaks. Urgent action is needed to stop today's emergencies from becoming a catastrophe." - WFP Executive Director, David Beasley
This is set to deteriorate even further in 2022, as the consequences of the conflict in Ukraine radiate outwards and trigger a surge in global food and energy prices and constrain supply chains.
