Himal Press 
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KATHMANDU: Food security worsened in 2023 with 281.6 million people facing high levels of acute food insecurity in 59 food-crisis countries/territories.
According to the latest global report on food crises from the Food Security Information Network (FSIN), the number of people facing high levels of acute food insecurity remained higher than pre-COVID-19 levels. The number of people facing these conditions increased by 24 million since 2022, according to the report.
“This fifth consecutive year of growing numbers of people facing high levels of acute food insecurity confirms the enormity of the challenge of achieving the goal of ending hunger by 2030. Food crises escalated alarmingly in conflict hotspots in 2023 – notably in Palestine (Gaza Strip) and Sudan,” it said.
In countries with comparable data between 2022 and 2023, acute food insecurity deteriorated in 12 of them where 13.5 million more people needed urgent food and livelihood assistance. Two-thirds of the additional people were in Sudan.
According to the report, food security improved in 17 countries resulting in 7.2 million fewer people facing high levels of acute food insecurity.
Conflict/insecurity – especially in Palestine (Gaza Strip) and Sudan as well as Haiti – will continue to be the main driver of acute food insecurity throughout 2024, according to the report.
