Ending hunger: how global collaboration can save millions

Express Tribune

04-03-2025

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Recent statistics from the World Food Programme (WFP) 2025 Global Outlook reveal a staggering reality: approximately 343 million people are believed to be acutely food insecure across 74 countries, while up to 19 million people were estimated to be on the brink of famine in 2024. The regions of Sudan, Gaza, Haiti and Mali are most affected by acute food insecurity and, as they suffer from a dire lack of resources, it is nearly impossible to address the problem effectively.
The Global Information and Early Warning Systems (GIEWS) 2024 report identifies 45 countries as most food insecure, including 33 in Africa, 9 in Asia, 2 in Latin America and 1 in Europe. The primary drivers of this crisis are: high food prices, civil insecurity, natural disasters, war and conflicts, economic constraints, weather extremities, reduced livelihood opportunities and lack of climate resilience. In conflict zones, humanitarian aid is often obstructed, leaving millions without access to life-saving assistance.
The key to overcoming such challenges is deep international collaboration. While achieving collaboration amongst stakeholders is a complex process entangled in power dynamics and political, social and economic stakes; it is regardless an essential one. Without collaboration, the world is at risk of failing to meet Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 which aims to eradicate global hunger by 2030.
Numerous organisations, including WFP, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), United Nations Office for Outer State Affairs (UNOOSA), United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), World Bank, Global Hunger Index (GHI), International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), are all working tirelessly to overcome the crisis of food insecurity and global hunger. These organisations are leveraging trade policies, providing humanitarian assistance and working on climate resilience programs to stabilise food prices and provide relief to vulnerable populations.
According to Global Humanitarian Overview 2025, about 305 million people worldwide will require urgent humanitarian assistance and protection. In 2024, the UN and aforementioned organisations helped nearly 190 million people across 72 countries. Through the efforts of humanitarian collaborations, nearly 116 million people received at least one form of humanitarian assistance in 2024. However, with conflicts and climate conditions worsening, the need for global aid is expected to grow. These humanitarian collaborations are aimed at improving the quality of aid by promoting locally-led actions, providing people-centred responses and expanding cash assistance programmes.
To ultimately overcome food insecurity, swift political action is required to put an end to wars and conflicts, and to assist crisis prone, impoverished, famished and displaced communities. Urgent climate action is also required to combat the global climate crisis and to ensure that climate financing reaches those who are at the brink of catastrophe. For the betterment of vulnerable communities across the world, the first step is to end continuous warfare and hold attacking states accountable under international law. This can only be achieved through deep collaboration – not just at global and national levels, but more importantly at the individual level – by sharing resources, knowledge and expertise.