Alarm bells

The annual UN report on the world food security and nutrition highlights an alarming level of increase in the number of hungry people. About 815 million people all over the world are undernourished. The main reasons for this increase in hunger and malnutrition are increase in violent conflict and climate related setbacks. Of the 815 million hungry people, 520 million live in Asia, 243 million in Africa and 42 million in Latin America and the Caribbean.

About 155 million children aged five are stunted, while 52 million suffer from wasting – they weigh less than the ideal body weight. Besides conflict and climate related causes, this condition is also because of economic slowdown in different countries. These statistics have rung alarm bells. We should pay attention to these red flags, if we want to control hunger and all forms of malnutrition in the near future.

Akbar Jan Marwat (Islamabad)