This week, the United Nations released a report revealing the number of hungry people worldwide in 2018. Standing at 821.6 million people, the new figures confirm that hunger is on the rise for a third year in a row after decades of promising decline.
As detailed in the UN report released on July 15, an estimated 820 million people did not have enough to eat in 2018. That is one in every nine people in the world.
This makes achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger by 2030 an immense challenge. We need to re-focus our efforts to end hunger – something that is possible.
There are a number of factors contributing to the rise of hungry people in the world.
Some of the key drivers of hunger and food insecurity include conflict, instability, and climate change. Conflict and instability have increased and spiralled, triggering greater population displacement, which leads to a greater demand for food in places where there is already a shortage. Additionally, climate change is affecting agricultural productivity, food production and natural resources. The report states: