The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization projects up to 181 million people in 41 countries could face food crisis or worse levels of hunger this year. Food prices were rising before the invasion, stemming from factors including bad weather and poor harvests cutting supplies, while global demand rebounded strongly from the COVID-19 pandemic. “That’s a humanitarian crisis, no question.’’Beside the threat of hunger, spiraling food prices risk political instability in such countries. The governments of developing countries must either let food prices rise or subsidize costs, Glauber said. Wheat prices are up 45% in the first three months of the year compared with the previous year, according to the FAO's wheat price index.

Source: The North Africa Journal June 18, 2022 08:39 UTC