The Current Portrait
According to the Price Shocks report, published by the international humanitarian organization World Vision, food prices continue to put the most needy populations in a vulnerable situation, remaining at levels higher than before the Covid-19 pandemic.
These price increases particularly affect countries with more fragile socio-economic conditions, especially those affected by armed conflicts, extreme climatic phenomena and massive population displacements.
Comparative Analysis
The study of food prices from September 2023 reveals that the work time required to acquire a basket of food in countries such as Australia, Ireland or Singapore would be equivalent to 1.5 hours of work, while in countries such as Burundi or the Central African Republic this same basket would represent 36 days and 25 days of work, respectively, for an average worker.
World Vision’s Director of World Hunger Response, Mary Njeri, emphasizes that these data highlight an alarming food crisis that has led 35 million people to a food emergency situation.
Factors Deteriorants
In addition to the economic effects of Covid-19 and armed conflicts such as the one experienced in Ukraine, extreme climatic phenomena and other geopolitical tensions further exacerbate the vulnerability of the affected populations, making it difficult for them to access basic food.
Persistent conflicts in many countries not only cause a localized increase in food prices, but also increase the difficulty for families to access food or find shelter and security to live and farm.
The Longing for Peace and Security
In this 2024, it is crucial that the most vulnerable families receive the necessary support to achieve peace and food security. The international community must take decisive action to ensure that no child goes hungry.
Despite the urgent need to invest an estimated $39 billion to $50 billion annually to prevent the deaths of millions of children under 5 years of age, only a fraction of this amount has been allocated to specific interventions since 2015 .
Human Consequences
Mary Njeri highlights that children exposed to situations of conflict and hunger have a greater risk of being forced to marry or work at a very early age, endangering their development and well-being.