The Deputy Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Beth Bechdol, highlighted that approximately 733 million people worldwide suffer from hunger in 2023, stating that the food insecurity in the Gaza Strip is the most serious food crisis in their reports.

Established within the UN after World War II to address issues related to food, nutrition, and agriculture, the FAO was founded on October 16, 1945, and has been celebrated as “World Food Day” since 1979. On this special day, the FAO sheds light on global issues in food and agriculture through forums and conferences, with this year focusing on the theme that food is a human right. Bechdol, in light of this year’s World Food Day, provided a written interview to AA on the number of hungry people worldwide and the situations in places experiencing wars and conflicts like Gaza, Sudan, Haiti, and Ukraine.

Regarding the latest hunger data this World Food Day, Bechdol expressed, “About 733 million people faced hunger in 2023. This equals 1 in 11 globally and 1 in 5 in Africa. This is unacceptable.” She stressed, “Nearly half of the global population today cannot access the nutrition needed to develop and, in some cases, survive. Access to food is a fundamental human right and a collective responsibility. We must do better.” Bechdol identified conflicts, the climate crisis, and economic shocks as the primary drivers of hunger, worsening vulnerabilities and leaving people more exposed.

Observing that acute food insecurity levels have reached record highs and food crises are getting longer, Bechdol highlighted the situation in Gaza under Israeli attacks for over a year now: “Due to a sharp deterioration in food security, we have reached the highest numbers of people experiencing acute food insecurity at IPC stage 5, labeled as ‘catastrophe/famine.’ The Gaza Strip faces the most severe food crisis in our reporting history. Additionally, the fact that the majority of individuals at IPC stages 3 ‘crisis,’ 4 ’emergency,’ and 5 ‘catastrophe’ are agriculture-related concerns me deeply.”

Referring to the IPC report from June, Bechdol recalled, “We are aware of the severity of the situation in Gaza; 96% of the population faces IPC stages 3 and above, indicating crisis, emergency, and catastrophe-level acute food insecurity. We talk about over 2 million people facing hunger daily.” She also pointed out, “As of September 1, 2024, over two-thirds of Gaza’s cultivable land has been damaged, raising serious concerns about food production potential both currently and in the future as food aid alone cannot meet the daily needs (both in quantity and nutritional quality) of the Gazan people.” Bechdol emphasized that peace is a prerequisite for food security, highlighting that without peace, there can be no food security.

On the situations in Ukraine, Sudan, and Haiti where food crises of varying magnitudes occur, Bechdol shared, “The agricultural sector remains intact in Ukraine but in a fragile state. The sector suffered damage exceeding $80 million, including $1.4 million related to irrigation and water resources. Damage to storage infrastructure has reduced capacity by 14 million tons. FAO is concerned about profitability and the 2024 harvest in Ukraine.” Concerning Sudan, the FAO Deputy Director-General noted, “Recent conflict in Sudan has turned the humanitarian crisis into a full-fledged disaster, confirming famine conditions in some areas of Darfur. FAO urgently calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities, rapid increase in life-saving food, nutrition, and cash assistance, and the provision of urgent agricultural aid.”

Despite extremely challenging conditions, FAO ensured, as of August 29, the distribution of high-nutrient value grain seeds to over 1.9 million people, enabling a family of five to produce sufficient food for 12 months. Highlighting the serious security crisis in Haiti, Beth Bechdol concluded by stating, “5.4 million people struggle daily to feed themselves and their families. This represents one of the highest rates of acute food insecurity among global crises. Factors like El Nino and La Nina further exacerbate the situation. Forecasts of 7 major hurricanes during the ongoing Atlantic hurricane season will increase Haiti’s vulnerability. Given that over 75% of the most food-insecure individuals in Haiti live in rural areas, agricultural support is critical as a lifeline.”