With the eyes of the nation riveted on the latest polls and financial indices, it's likely that the release last week of the Global Hunger Index received little attention in the national media. Too bad. For while the report showed some gains in addressing world hunger between 1990 and 2006-particularly in East Asia, the Near East, North Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean-the hunger situation in 33 nations in 2006 was still classified as "alarming" or "extremely alarming." And that doesn't take into account the impact of the severe jump in food prices that took place in 2007 and early 2008.
In releasing the report, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) described the GHI index as a look at the past, not the present. The report stressed that, "In the context of higher food prices, prospects for improving food and nutrition security do not appear favorable, given that at least 800 million people were food insecure before the food price crisis hit. Higher food prices cut into poor households' food budget, with particularly serious risks for undernourished infants and children." The report also stressed the need for "complete and up-to-date monitoring of developments related to agriculture, food, and nutrition" at the regional and national levels.
IFPRI's report noted that the current food crisis has had "uneven effects" on developing nations, with food-importing countries generally facing the greatest threat. The countries at the bottom of the list-the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Burundi, Niger, Sierra Leone-all face a daunting challenge. Between now and 2050, the population of each of these countries is projected to double or triple. The population of Niger alone is projected to jump from 14.2 million in 2007 to 53.2 million by 2050. Feeding and meeting the nutritional needs of these larger populations will pose an enormous challenge.
Next month, on November 17, the Population Resource Center will be hosting a briefing ("Saving Niger: the Long-Term Food Crisis in Northern sub-Saharan Africa"). To be held on Capitol Hill, the briefing will take a closer look at the long-term food security challenge facing Niger and other fast-growing countries in northern sub-Saharan Africa. Speakers will include John May, a World Bank demographer who will have just returned from the region; Mark Rosegrant from IFPRI, an agricultural specialist who has written extensively on the food crisis in Africa; and Gary Eilerts from USAID's Famine Early Warning System (FEWSNET). The speakers will assess the long-term picture and policy options for Niger and other countries in the region. Stay tuned for information regarding precise time and location of the briefing.
