DUBAI: The global hunger crisis has reached critical levels, with recent data indicating that 733 million people worldwide experience hunger, including 38 million children under the age of five.

This situation has emerged even though global food production is sufficient to meet the needs of the entire population.

According to Stephen Anderson, a representative of the World Food Programme (WFP) in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, a record 343 million individuals across 74 countries are currently classified as acutely food insecure.

This marks a 10 percent increase from the previous year and approaches the peak levels seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Anderson noted that the WFP is providing assistance to approximately 123 million vulnerable individuals.

However, budget constraints threaten to cut off food assistance to nearly half of these recipients, amounting to 58 million people, due to a lack of adequate funding.

The 2025 Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC) warns that without immediate intervention, the ongoing food crisis could escalate into a more severe humanitarian disaster, particularly in the most vulnerable regions of the world.

The current estimates suggest that 295.3 million people in 53 countries will face acute food insecurity in 2024, reflecting an increase of 13.7 million from 2023 and representing the worst levels of hunger recorded since the GRFC began its assessments in 2016.

Notably, the sharp rise in 'Phase 5' hunger—indicative of extreme deprivation and life-threatening conditions—has reached 1.9 million individuals, with the majority located in Gaza and Sudan.

Gaza has been officially declared in a state of famine, exacerbated by an 11-week aid blockade that commenced on March 2, 2024. Reports from Palestinian health authorities indicate that at least 29 deaths from starvation-related causes have occurred, with concerns that the actual number may be significantly higher.

Joyce Azzam, a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, emphasized that the hunger crisis stems not from a lack of food but from systemic inequality and injustice.

She stated that hunger is a manifestation of deeper issues rather than a mere symptom or temporary emergency.

The GRFC report and WFP data indicate that the ongoing conflict in Sudan, particularly involving the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, has led to multiple famine declarations across war-torn regions.

Since the onset of conflict in April 2023, widespread displacement has impacted over 12 million individuals, further complicating access to food and humanitarian aid.

Yemen is experiencing a severe hunger crisis, with over 17 million people, nearly half of its population, facing acute food insecurity.

Projections indicate this number could increase to 19 million.

The sustainability of local economies has been undermined by more than a decade of conflict, resulting in a significant rise in food prices and further economic devastation.

Malnutrition rates in Yemen are particularly alarming, with recent estimates indicating that 2.2 million children under five are acutely malnourished, including over 537,000 children severely affected.

The situation for pregnant and breastfeeding women remains critical as well, with 1.4 million women among the vulnerable.

In regions like Hodeidah, malnutrition rates have exceeded 33 percent.

Funding shortages have led to significant cuts in food distributions, impacting the most susceptible populations, especially women and children.

The GRFC report also highlights that climate-related disasters, including droughts and floods exacerbated by the El Niño phenomenon, are contributing to the ongoing food crisis.

In 2024, 96 million people in 18 countries experienced adverse impacts due to this climate pattern, heavily affecting southern Africa, southern Asia, and the Horn of Africa.

In Somalia, the combination of successive droughts and severe flooding has decimated agricultural output, with cereal production plummeting by 50 percent in 2023. Additionally, the Sahel region has been marked by declining millet production due to erratic rainfall.

Compounding these issues are economic shocks, including inflation and currency devaluation, which have driven an estimated 59.4 million people into hunger.

This systemic crisis has increased the likelihood of mass migration as families abandon their land or rely entirely on humanitarian assistance.

Cuts to humanitarian assistance by leading donor nations have resulted in the suspension of essential nutrition services for over 14 million children in at-risk regions.

The GRFC report highlights the need for a coordinated international response, urging the world to implement supportive measures for community resilience, including investment in local food systems and climate adaptation strategies.

The wide-ranging effects of food insecurity are also gendered, with women and girls being disproportionately affected in terms of nutritional access and social vulnerability.

The ongoing crisis has exacerbated gender-based violence, with families resorting to strategies such as child marriage to cope with economic strain.

The GRFC report underscores the pressing need to address these intertwined challenges of conflict, climate change, and economic instability to mitigate the ongoing global hunger crisis.