The crisis, she emphasized, is worsening, with demand for food increasing relentlessly while humanitarian funding is dwindling.

McCain revealed that due to the severe lack of funding, the agency has been compelled to reduce food rations for millions of people, with further cuts looming on the horizon. "We are now living with a series of concurrent and long-term crises that will continue to fuel global humanitarian needs," McCain remarked. "This is the humanitarian community's new reality — our new normal — and we will be dealing with the fallout for years to come."

The alarming statistics presented by McCain underscore the severity of the situation. The World Food Program estimates that nearly 47 million people in over 50 countries are on the brink of famine, while a staggering 45 million children under the age of 5 are now suffering from acute malnutrition.

According to data from the World Food Program, in the 79 countries where the agency operates, up to 783 million people, which is one in 10 of the world's population, go to bed hungry every night. Furthermore, more than 345 million people are confronting high levels of food insecurity in 2023, signifying an increase of almost 200 million people compared to early 2021 before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The root causes of this escalating crisis, as highlighted by the WFP, include a lethal combination of conflict, economic shocks, climate extremes, and soaring fertilizer prices. The economic repercussions of the pandemic and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine have led to food prices rising to unaffordable levels for millions of people globally. Simultaneously, high fertilizer prices have resulted in reduced production of vital crops like maize, rice, soybeans, and wheat.

McCain stressed the need for collective action to address these pressing challenges. "Our collective challenge is to ramp up ambitious, multi-sectoral partnerships that will enable us to tackle hunger and poverty effectively, and reduce humanitarian needs over the long-term," she urged. McCain emphasized that these partnerships should not only focus on financing but also on finding innovative solutions to assist the world's neediest populations.

As the world grapples with the deepening hunger crisis, urgent and sustained efforts are required to prevent further suffering and mitigate the long-term impact on vulnerable communities worldwide.. (ILKHA)