Rich are getting richer but more people are going hungry in Global South. Why?

The Global South, particularly Africa and South Asia, is experiencing severe levels of hunger, according to the latest Global Hunger Index. The number of undernourished individuals has risen to 735 million, a significant increase from the already concerning 572 million in 2017. The triple threat of Covid-19, climate change, and Russia's war on Ukraine has exacerbated food insecurities globally, with the most profound impact felt in sub-Saharan Africa. Nine countries in this region, including Burundi, the Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Niger, South Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen, are identified as having an 'alarming' level of hunger. Additionally, 34 other countries, including India, the world's most populous nation, Pakistan, and East Timor, are grappling with a 'serious' hunger issue. In a world still reeling from the pandemic and facing acute food insecurities, this hunger crisis raises some tough questions. Is the current global structure equipped to handle this challenge? Are there too many agencies working in this area without producing tangible results? Are their mandates clear, or is there an overlap? Do they have the necessary resources to do their job? Most importantly, is there strong enough global leadership to handle this unprecedented crisis? The catastrophe of mass starvation cannot be ignored. According to the World Food Programme, before the pandemic, 135 million people in 53 countries were grappling with acute food insecurity. This year, the numbers are projected to rise to 345 million people in 79 states. The human costs of such large-scale hunger are immense. For instance, anaemia, a condition closely correlated with hunger, affects some 571 million women and 269 million young children. The highest prevalence is found among those in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Hunger can also impact education. In sub-Saharan Africa, 98 million children are not in school, making it the largest such cohort in any region and the only one that has been growing. In second place is the Central and Southern Asian region, with 85 million children. All these figures point to a stark reality: the Global South is the world's hunger hotspot. South Asia, in particular, has the highest rate of 'child wasting', defined by the Global Hunger Index as under-fives with low weight for their height. At 14. 8 per cent, this is more than double the 6 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa. There is also a high prevalence of 'child stunting', referring to under-fives who are short for their age. With the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a dramatic rise in undernourishment in South Asia, which reached 15. 9 per cent from 2020-2022, up from 13. 5 per cent for 2014-2016. It was worse in sub-Saharan Africa, where the rate hit 21. 7 per cent, an increase from 16. 8 per cent for 2010–2012. Afghanistan, which has seen a steep decline since the Taliban seized power, is set to see things worsen after suffering from one of the world's deadliest earthquakes this year. While the world's poorest go hungry, the rich are getting richer. Of the world's new wealth created since 2020, 63 per cent has gone to the richest 1 per cent, an addition of US$26 trillion. If this trend continues unchecked, it will result in millions more in the Global South going without. The wars in Ukraine and Gaza are also expected to exacerbate the hunger crisis, further destabilising food security in vulnerable regions. The global mission to end hunger by 2030, as part of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, seems more distant than ever. As the Global Hunger Index states, 'At the current pace, 58 countries will not [even] achieve low hunger by 2030. ' With the growing prevalence of undernourishment, child stunting, child wasting, and child mortality, the hunger eradication targets are completely off track. The global food system is in disarray. Almost half the world's people cannot afford a healthy diet. Food supplies are increasingly being disrupted by heatwaves, floods, droughts, and wars. Despite numerous political commitments at the national and global levels and available solutions, there is a collective failure to translate these commitments into effective action. The question remains, what are we waiting for?