Food and Agriculture
Organization of the
United Nations
Economic and Social Development Department
The State of
Food Insecurity
in the World
Addressing food insecurity in
protracted crises
The State of
Food Insecurity
in the World
Economic and Social Development Department
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Rome, October 2010
http://www.fao.org/publications/sofi
Food and Agriculture
Organization of the
United Nations
Economic and Social Development Department
Some basic terms and definitions
 Food security: exists when all people, at all
times, have physical, social and economic
access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food
 Undernourishment: describes the status of
persons whose food intake regularly provides
less than their minimum energy requirements
 Hunger targets: are outlined in two main
agreements – the World Food Summit Target
and the Millennium Development Goals
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Food and Agriculture
Organization of the
United Nations
Economic and Social Development Department
Trends in world hunger
The State of
The State of
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Food Insecurity
Insecurity
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Food and Agriculture
Organization of the
United Nations
Economic and Social Development Department
Global hunger declining, but still
unacceptably high
 The number of undernourished people
in the world is expected to decline in
2010 but it is still higher than before the
economic and food price crises.
 The decline is due to:
- increased economic growth
The State of
The State of
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Food Insecurity
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-the fall in international food prices since 2008
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Food and Agriculture
Organization of the
United Nations
Economic and Social Development Department
Where do the hungry live?
The State of
The State of
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Food Insecurity
Insecurity
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in the
the World
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Food and Agriculture
Organization of the
United Nations
Economic and Social Development Department
The State of
The State of
Food
Food Insecurity
Insecurity
in
in the
the World
World
The designations employed and the presentation of material in the map(s) do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of FAO
concerning the legal or constitutional status of any country, territory or sea area, or concerning the delimitation of frontiers.
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Food and Agriculture
Organization of the
United Nations
Economic and Social Development Department
Protracted crises: a special case
The State of
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Food Insecurity
Insecurity
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Food and Agriculture
Organization of the
United Nations
Economic and Social Development Department
Characteristics of protracted crisis
include:
 Duration or longevity of the crisis
 Conflict
 Weak governance
 Unsustainable livelihood systems and
poor food security outcomes
The State of
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 Breakdown of local institutions
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Food and Agriculture
Organization of the
United Nations
Economic and Social Development Department
The State of
The State of
Food
Food Insecurity
Insecurity
in
in the
the World
World
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Food and Agriculture
Organization of the
United Nations
Economic and Social Development Department
Food security outcomes in
protracted crises
 Approximately 166 million undernourished
people in countries in protracted crisis
 Roughly 20 percent of the world’s
undernourished people live in countries in
protracted crisis, or more than a third of the
global total if China and India are excluded
 Not all countries in protracted crisis have very
high levels of undernourishment; in some
countries crises are localized to certain areas
or regions
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Food and Agriculture
Organization of the
United Nations
Economic and Social Development Department
Towards ensuring food security in protracted crises:
recommended actions
Improving
analysis and
understanding
Improving
support to
livelihoods for
food security
Reforming the
"architecture"
of assistance

Donors and agencies must invest more in analysis, impact assessment
and lessons learned in protracted crisis situations

Response analysis must be improved, building capacities in both
production and use of better informed analysis of options for assistance

Information systems should be strengthened and expanded

Governments, donors and agencies should better link responses that
address both short- and longer-term needs

Support for livelihoods must build on existing capacity and should
strengthen positive livelihood adaptations

Efforts should focus on helping to rebuild and/or promote local
institutions that support livelihoods

A High-Level Forum should be organized to develop an Agenda for
Action for tackling food insecurity in protracted crises

Donor planning should emphasize predictability for prevention, early
action and long-term solutions

Modalities of assistance should move beyond the traditional categories
of "relief" and "development" to a more diversified approach
The State of
The State of
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Food Insecurity
Insecurity
in
in the
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Food and Agriculture
Organization of the
United Nations
Economic and Social Development Department
For more information
The State of Food
Insecurity in the
World
The international reference
on global hunger issues
The State of
The State of
Available in English, French, Spanish,
Russian, Arabic and Chinese
Food
Food Insecurity
Insecurity
in
in the
the World
World
www.fao.org/publications/sofi
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