Conflicts are one big reason for the lack of food security in Africa, reports Reem Leila. Food security is one of the main pillars of economic growth, development and stability of any society. The World Youth Forum in its third edition dedicated an entire session to discussing ways to reach food safety as one of the UN’s sustainable development goals.

“The number of chronically hungry people worldwide hit 821 million in 2018, up from 777 million three years earlier,” David Beasley, executive director of the UN World Food Programme, said. According to Beasley, the countries that suffer most from the danger of famine are Somalia, South Sudan, as well as Nigeria’s northeast region. These countries have been overwhelmed by conflict for long years, thus obliging millions to flee their homes. “Disruption of lives impedes the production of food, thus causing famine,” Beasley said.

In such instances, hunger, according to Beasley, could also lead to more fighting. “Around 90 million people do not have any access to food. Also there are 250 million people on the verge of starvation as they do not know whether they will have their next meal or not,” Beasley added.

The terror unleashed by Boko Haram militants in Nigeria has led to people fleeing the north-eastern part of the country, causing a hunger crisis among those who stayed. Meanwhile, in the north of South Sudan, a years-long civil war has destroyed farms and blocked aid deliveries, forcing the United Nations to officially proclaim a hunger emergency. 

Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Xu Donyo pointed out that overall hunger rates worldwide are rising due to undernourishment and absence of food security in Africa and the Middle East. According to Xu, the continent’s demographic structure can be its way out. “With 1.6 billion youth at working age, they can work and produce much needed food for their continent,” Xu said.
Xu noted that although the African continent with its natural resources has more potential than Asia, the increase of hunger in Africa and the Near East is a significant hindrance [for development]. “It is a worrying challenge, as a sub goal among the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals is to achieve zero hunger by 2030. We only have 10 years to go,” Xu warned.

Minister of Youth and Sports of Rwanda Rose Mary Mobizi said that countries must pay serious attention and care to how to maintain a balanced consumption of food, noting that food is the most important security. Mobizi said Rwanda seeks to support youth and provide special programmes for their participation in achieving food security and to support their presence in agricultural lands in order to guarantee their welfare and ability to survive harsh living conditions at home so that they do not leave their countries.

“Each one per cent increase in the number of people suffering from hunger in Rwanda is a nearly two per cent increase in migration levels,” Mobizi said.She also noted that in order to achieve food security, African nations need to empower women who constitute more than half of African society. In many African countries, there are many household women who take over the welfare of their families.