Food in Emergencies

Despite global commitments to reducing poverty, hunger is getting worse. The right to food is recognised universally, yet an estimated 963 million people – one in seven – are chronically hungry. This number leaped by 90 million following the 2007–08 global
food crisis, and without concerted action, hunger is likely to worsen in the context of the global financial crisis. The solutions to hunger are known, simple and affordable, but child malnutrition is one of the most under-funded areas of global development. In 2008, only an estimated 300 million US-Dollar was spent on child nutrition programmes (not including food aid). Food aid has long been a donor response in times of emergency food shortage. It takes many forms, some not without controversy. In declared emergencies, food aid commonly will constitute 80% of World Vision’s response because food aid is the donor community’s primary tool in responding to acute humanitarian disasters. For World Vision, food is a resource that enables us to achieve a range of humanitarian and development outcomes. World Vision has adopted the principle of "Sustainable Livelihoods" as the lens through which we approach food programming.

World Vision Advocacy Briefing re Food in Emergencies