The UN World Food Programme (WFP) says that 363 million people worldwide are now at risk of acute hunger, with 45 million more facing acute food shortages due to the Middle East conflict and soaring oil prices.
The crisis has worsened due to a 40% drop in donations after funding was cut last year. The US, the largest donor, has cut its contribution by more than half. With total donor contributions of only $2.8 billion against a need of $13 billion this year, the WFP’s acting executive director said the organization is now forced to “take from the hungry to feed the starving.”
The war has disrupted global supply chains, including a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz. As western oil and arms industries reap record profits, the world’s poorest populations are bearing the heaviest burden, including raising transport costs and a 33% cut of global seaborne fertilizer supply which now threatens East Africa’s upcoming planting season.
