“It is unforgivable for governments to watch billions of people going hungry in a world of plenty. While food and energy companies more than doubled their profits last year, nearly a third of the world’s population were moderately or severely food insecure.
“Across East Africa alone, over 31 million people are at risk of famine. Meanwhile, the climate crisis is outpacing the humanitarian system’s ability to respond.
“Ahead of the UK’s own food security conference later this year, the UK government must prioritise tackling the hunger crisis in East Africa, including committing £900 million of humanitarian and development finance. Governments should also properly tax corporate windfall profits, cancel poor countries debt, and regulate market speculators to stop food prices from spiralling further out of control.”
/Ends
For more information, or to arrange an interview with an Oxfam spokesperson, please contact: Sarah Dransfield, Oxfam Senior Press Officer, on +44 (0)7884 114825 or email: sdransfield@oxfam.org.uk
Notes to the Editors
- The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (2023) report.
- According to the report, more than 3.1 billion people – or 42 percent of the world population – were unable to afford an adequate diet in 2021; and 2.4 billion people were moderately or severely food insecure in 2022 (29.6% of global population). Of those, 900 million people were classed as severely food insecure,
- The report also estimates that 600 million people will be chronically undernourished by 2030.
- Food and energy companies' profits data from Oxfam “Survival of the Richest” report (Jan 2023).
- Over 31 million people are at risk of famine across East Africa
