The number of people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance has reached its highest level in 2022 as countries continue to face food insecurity, according to the Global Report on Food Crises 2022 mid-year update. At the same time, the number of people expected to face the highest level of food insecurity – famine – in 2022 is estimated to be around 481,500 compared to 570,000 in 2021. However, the report pointed out that this decrease is most likely due to data shortage for some countries.
The Global Report on Food Crises warns that by mid-2022, the number of people facing acute food insecurity was the highest in the six-year history since the report’s launch. According to the publication, in 45 out of the 53 monitored countries or territories, it is estimated the number of people in need of urgent humanitarian support will reach up to 205.1 million.
For comparison, in 2020, 155 million people from 55 countries urgently needed humanitarian assistance while in 2021 the number soared, reaching 193 million across 53 countries. Roughly speaking, the population in urgent need of humanitarian assistance has nearly doubled between 2016 and 2021. Yet, the report’s authors warn that the increase should be interpreted carefully, as deteriorating food security might not be the only reason. The 12% population growth in 2022 compared to 2021 should also be taken into account.
Fig.1. The population in urgent need of humanitarian assistance between 2016 and 2021
Source: Global Report on Food Crises 2022
Fig.2. The percentage of the analyzed population in urgent need of humanitarian assistance between 2016 and 2021
Source: Global Report on Food Crises 2022
To further analyze various food security conditions across countries, the report distinguishes five different phases, with Minimal being the 1st phase finishing with Catastrophe or Famine as the 5th phase. Only from the 3rd phase, do people need urgent humanitarian assistance.
Fig.3. Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) and Cadre Harmonise (CH)
Source: Global Report on Food Crises 2022
According to the report, most of the 481,500 people suffering from famine live in Africa. In Somalia, around 213,000 people are expected to face famine, in Yemen 161,000, in South Sudan 87,000 and in Afghanistan 20,300. Thirty-four countries expect 38.6 million people to face an Emergency (IPC/CH Phase 4). While this number was 39.2 million across 36 countries in 2021, the decrease is due to the decline in the number of countries covered by the report. This year, each of the following 10 countries is predicted to have a minimum of one million people in Emergency (IPC/CH Phase 4).
Fig.4. Ten countries/territories with at least one million people each in IPC Phase 4 in 2022
Source: Global Report on Food Crises 2022
In 2022, around 134.2 million people from 39 countries were reported in Crisis (IPC/CH Phase 3) compared to 133.1 million people across 41 countries in 2021. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has the highest number of people in Crisis. Nigeria and Afghanistan occupy second and third places. All the following 10 countries have over 94 million people in Crisis.
Fig.5. 10 countries with over 94 million people in IPC Phase 3 in total in 2022
