https://sputniknews.in/20230816/disruption-in-russian-fertilizer-supplies-to-worsen-global-hunger-crisis-british-ngo-warns-3645478.html
Disruption in Russian Fertilizer Supplies to Worsen Global Hunger Crisis, British NGO Warns
Disruption in Russian Fertilizer Supplies to Worsen Global Hunger Crisis, British NGO Warns
Sputnik India
A record number of people grappled with extreme hunger last year due to disruptions caused by Covid pandemic, climate change and the spillover effects of Ukraine crisis, says British NGO Plan International.
2023-08-16T19:51+0530
2023-08-16T19:51+0530
2023-08-16T21:09+0530
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Russia, the world’s biggest exporter of fertilizers, pulled out of the Black Sea Grain Initiative last month, as the Western countries had refused to abide by their commitments to allow Russian food and fertilizer exports to reach global markets, as agreed under the United Nations (UN)-brokered pact last year.Sputnik India spoke to Dr. Unni Krishnan, the Global Humanitarian Director for United Kingdom (UK)-headquartered non-profit Plan International, on the current food and fertilizer shortages in the world.Sputnik: How bad is the global hunger crisis?We have never seen this level of extreme hunger. This hunger is destroying lives, and this is also reconfiguring landscapes for people.Sputnik: How has this rising hunger affected Low, Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) in the Global South?Krishnan: The solution for hunger or solution for someone who is hungry depends a lot on where you are.If you're in one of the resource-rich countries, the answer for when you are hungry, the solution might be readily available. But for a majority of 800 million people, that is not the situation.When a place has got so much hunger going on, children are often pulled out of school to do work. And then what happens is, when they are forced to work, they are very unlikely to go back. We have seen often girls are the first one to be pulled out. And the last one to go back if they ever go back.Sputnik: What are the reasons for the growing hunger in the world? Has the hunger worsened due to the spillovers of Ukraine conflict, as Russia has been a key supplier of foodgrains and fertilizers?Krishnan: We believe that there are three factors amplifying the hunger crisis.The second factor is climate change. I have been in locations where there has been no rain for about five years continuously. So, we are talking about extreme dry conditions. We're talking about people being forced to move from the homes and communities in search of food and livelihood.In places like Somaliland, one of the worst-affected by hunger globally, you could feel the hunger situation getting worse as you move away from the urban centres. In my recent visits to Somaliland, I have witnessed camel carcasses and communities in far-flung villages surviving on bare minimum.And the third factor is conflict. Now, there are several dimensions to how hunger is exacerbated by conflict. The first is about conflict displacing people, and changing lives of people by reconfiguring landscapes forever.Before talking about the Ukraine conflict, I want to make it clear that as a humanitarian organization, we don’t take sides in a conflict. We are absolutely neutral when it comes to our approach, that is taking sides with no one involved in a conflict.So, what we are seeing is lesser food grains are available. So, there is less hope for people who are hit by hunger. It is another hit for people who are already affected by hunger. To make matters worse, the forecast for harvest for this year is bad as no or very less fertilizers are leaving the ports from that part of the world.Because I'm not singling out Ukraine or Russia, let me put it this way, I will leave it with that region and for you to actually make a profound opinion on which part of which country is a resource coming from. We try to stay away from that.I would also like to mention here that peace is an important ingredient to tackle hunger.Sputnik: Would it help if there's more international cooperation in tackling the global hunger crisis, which you just mentioned will get even worse this year? Russia has accused the Western countries of not keeping their promise to allow Russian fertilizer exports to leave the country, as was agreed during the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI).Krishnan: I hope you understand we can't take sides in the conflict.One must also consider the supply-demand dynamics at place in the global food supply chains. Food exports shouldn’t impact the local markets. But getting food to those in need remains the key.Sputnik: Could you give us a brief overview of the work of your organization in different countries? How are you coping with the growing hunger levels across the world?Krishnan: Our organization was established nearly 80 years ago to help those who had been affected by the Spanish Civil War (1936-39). But the work we are doing across the world today is more relevant than ever.We are also involved in carrying out healthcare programs in certain parts of the world, with a focus on children and women. Child protection is big part of our work, including working with victims of trafficking, child soldiers, etc.Another key focus of our work is preparing communities in disaster risk-reduction and making them resilient. We do this with help of governments, local communities and other agencies.
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Disruption in Russian Fertilizer Supplies to Worsen Global Hunger Crisis, British NGO Warns
19:51 16.08.2023 (Updated: 21:09 16.08.2023) A record number of people grappled with extreme hunger last year due to disruptions caused by Covid pandemic, climate change and the spillover effects of Ukraine crisis, says British NGO Plan International.
Russia, the world’s biggest exporter of fertilizers, pulled out of the Black Sea Grain Initiative last month, as the Western countries had refused to abide by their commitments to allow Russian food and fertilizer exports to reach global markets, as agreed under the United Nations (UN)-brokered pact last year.
Sputnik India spoke to
Dr. Unni Krishnan, the Global Humanitarian Director for United Kingdom (UK)-headquartered non-profit Plan International, on the
current food and fertilizer shortages in the world.
Sputnik: How bad is the global hunger crisis?
Dr. Unni Krishnan: Approximately 800 million people will go to bed hungry tonight (UN estimates). If you put all the hungry people in the world in a single place, that will be the third most populous country in the world after China and India.
We have never seen this
level of extreme hunger. This hunger is destroying lives, and this is also reconfiguring landscapes for people.
Sputnik: How has this rising hunger affected Low, Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) in the Global South?
Krishnan: The solution for hunger or solution for someone who is hungry depends a lot on where you are.
If you're in one of the resource-rich countries, the answer for when you are hungry, the solution might be readily available. But for a majority of 800 million people, that is not the situation.
Hunger has a bias against poor. Hunger has a very strong bias against some of the most vulnerable, such as children and pregnant women. From our own experience and our own research, we have also seen hunger has a very strong bias against girls. And I can tell you why. Because girls often eat at last and they often least eat the least.
When a place has got so much hunger going on, children are often pulled out of school to do work. And then what happens is, when they are forced to work, they are very unlikely to go back. We have seen often girls are the first one to be pulled out. And the last one to go back if they ever go back.
Sputnik: What are the reasons for the growing hunger in the world? Has the hunger worsened due to the spillovers of Ukraine conflict, as Russia has been a key supplier of foodgrains and fertilizers?
Krishnan: We believe that there are three factors amplifying the hunger crisis.
The first is the impact of the fallout of COVID 19 pandemic. The near-total economic meltdown in some places has meant that people there have less resources, less jobs, and less means of livelihood. This has actually destroyed communities beyond any imagination.
The second factor is
climate change. I have been in locations where there has been no rain for about five years continuously. So, we are talking about extreme dry conditions. We're talking about people being forced to move from the homes and communities in search of food and livelihood.
In places like Somaliland, one of the worst-affected by hunger globally, you could feel the hunger situation getting worse as you move away from the urban centres. In my recent visits to Somaliland, I have witnessed camel carcasses and communities in far-flung villages surviving on bare minimum.
And the third factor is conflict. Now, there are several dimensions to how hunger is exacerbated by conflict. The first is about conflict displacing people, and changing lives of people by reconfiguring landscapes forever.
Before talking about the Ukraine conflict, I want to make it clear that as a humanitarian organization, we don’t take sides in a conflict. We are absolutely neutral when it comes to our approach, that is taking sides with no one involved in a conflict.
So, what we are seeing is
lesser food grains are available. So, there is less hope for people who are hit by hunger. It is another hit for people who are already affected by hunger.
To make matters worse, the forecast for harvest for this year is bad as no or very less fertilizers are leaving the ports from that part of the world.
Last year, everyone was saying that the world's hunger crisis was the worst ever in 70. But this year, it is going to be even worse due to a combination of factors I just mentioned.
Because I'm not singling out Ukraine or Russia, let me put it this way, I will leave it with that region and for you to actually make a profound opinion on which part of which country is a resource coming from. We try to stay away from that.
I would also like to mention here that peace is an important ingredient to tackle hunger.
Sputnik: Would it help if there's more international cooperation in tackling the global hunger crisis, which you just mentioned will get even worse this year? Russia has accused the Western countries of not keeping their promise to allow Russian fertilizer exports to leave the country, as was agreed during the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI).
Krishnan: I hope you understand we can't take sides in the conflict.
Its pretty straightforward that to deal with hunger, one needs food. A piece of bread could make all the difference for a child who is hungry.
One must also consider the supply-demand dynamics at place in the
global food supply chains. Food exports shouldn’t impact the local markets. But getting food to those in need remains the key.
And that's the whole idea of universal solidarity, which is making sure that people who are in need are getting support. It is also important to rejuvenate the local cultivation, because, otherwise, you're not going to solve this problem.
Sputnik: Could you give us a brief overview of the work of your organization in different countries? How are you coping with the growing hunger levels across the world?
Krishnan: Our organization was established nearly 80 years ago to help those who had been affected by the Spanish Civil War (1936-39). But the work we are doing across the world today is more relevant than ever.
During the course of our work, we have learned that the same disaster could have a differential impact on different groups of people. So, we focus on children, and especially girls, and, and other vulnerable people. Our line of work includes providing humanitarian assistance in the form of life-saving assistance, which includes distribution of food items, nutrition and helping with water and sanitation. We also do therapeutic care.
We are also involved in carrying out healthcare programs in certain parts of the world, with a focus on children and women. Child protection is big part of our work, including working with victims of trafficking, child soldiers, etc.
Another key focus of our work is preparing communities in disaster risk-reduction and making them resilient. We do this with help of governments, local communities and other agencies.
But hunger is the perhaps the biggest crisis threatening humanity right now. Unfortunately, the hunger crisis isn’t getting the same attention as disasters like earthquakes or other natural events.
