After decades of progress, global hunger is on the rise. Vulnerable communities have seen their food systems eroded by compounding shocks like conflict, extreme weather events, and the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, an acute food crisis is spiraling around the world, driven by the conflict in Ukraine. 

As many as 828 million people around the world faced chronic hunger in 2021, 46 million more than the year prior, and 150 million more than in 2019. Forty-five million people are estimated to be at risk of death or already facing starvation and death because they have so little to eat. This is not only a tragedy today—it is setting the stage for a continuing crisis.

Some startling facts:

• Globally, more than twice as many people are hungry as in 2020.
• Nearly 35 million people in 39 countries are facing emergency levels of hunger.
• Wasting affects 30 million children globally. Children with wasting are desperately thin, have weakened immune systems, and face an increased risk of death: They require urgent treatment and care to survive.
• Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Sudan, Somalia and Yemen have populations facing starvation and are already critically food insecure. 
   

Thankfully, there is hope: legislation that aims to curb the growing hunger crisis is up for reauthorization! The Farm Bill is a critical tool in fighting both acute and chronic hunger as well as investing in a community’s ability to feed themselves and resist shocks.  At a time when far too many people around the world are hungry, we support reauthorizing U.S. international food aid programs in the Farm Bill. 

With just a few small tweaks in the Farm Bill, Congress can make these programs even stronger and ensure we get the maximum value from every dollar spent:

• Relax requirements to use specific amounts of U.S. food in resilience programs. This will allow the programs to respond best to what communities need. Often, this means giving farmers the tools to improve their own crops to feed their families and communities over the long term.
• Simplify the administration of these programs so that more money goes to helping people in need instead of to staff time for paperwork.
• Support local farmers to supply fresh foods for international school meals programs in food insecure countries to bolster nutrition and help these programs eventually graduate off U.S. assistance.

Will you take a minute today to send a pre-filled email to your leaders about the importance of reauthorizing the Farm Bill?

Learn more about the Farm Bill (and share it with friends & leaders ) in our comprehensive leave behind.