Three ways to tackle world hunger

There is a global hunger crisis happening now. The impacts of climate change, conflict and poverty are contributing to increasing food shortages affecting 345 million people around the world. Children are especially vulnerable, with two million under five expected to die as a result of malnutrition this year. The good news is that new approaches to tackle world hunger, based on proven, scalable solutions are available. 

Here are three ways we can tackle food insecurity:

#1. Improve access to malnutrition treatment.

Each year, two million children under five years old die as a result of acute malnutrition, otherwise known as wasting. Wasting is responsible for 1 in 5 deaths in children under the age of five. These deaths are preventable but many children do not have access to treatment. 

How IRC is improving access to malnutrition treatment:

• The IRC has streamlined the diagnosis and treatment of malnutrition through a simplified approach which makes it easier to diagnose and treat malnourished children, even in hard-to-reach or other challenging contexts.
• To address access issues, the IRC is training community health workers to diagnose and treat malnutrition, expanding the reach of diagnosis and treatment beyond traditional medical facilities.
• Funding is crucial to scale up treatment approaches, ensuring wider accessibility and effectiveness.

Community health worker, Maryan, weighs a child to check for malnutrition. She has worked with thousands of children in Somalia since beginning her work for IRC in 2011.

Photo: Kellie Ryan

#2. Support climate change adaptation.

The effects of climate change are compounding an unprecedented global hunger crisis. For example, 22 million people need food assistance in East Africa where prolonged droughts followed by floods are destroying crops and livestock. New approaches are needed to support these climate vulnerable communities. 

How IRC is supporting climate adaptation:

• Climate resilience schemes being piloted in fragile countries like Syria directly support farmers, promoting new crops and seeds better suited to droughts affecting the region. 
• The IRC is also pioneering anticipatory action approaches in flood-prone regions like northern Nigeria. Flood risks are mapped and funds allocated to farmers before the floods occur.

Fatima, an IRC Nutrition Officer, teaches a mother how to measure a child’s arm using tape at her home.

Photo: KC Nwakalor

#3. Take a people-first approach.

Governments and international organisations often fail to understand the complicated needs on the ground when it comes to tackling hunger. Partnerships with local experts are key to tackling these problems, especially in countries where conflict exacerbates a challenging situation. Empowering local groups also means that those most impacted by hunger – women and girls – are involved in decision making and delivery of support.

How the IRC is taking a people-first approach to food security:

• Empowering communities and caregivers to manage the malnutrition screening process. For example, IRC nutrition officers in Nigeria are teaching women how to check their children for malnutrition at home.
• Working directly with farmers to adapt to climate change, whether by ensuring access to climate resilient seeds in Syria or delivering anticipatory cash support to farmers in Nigeria.

What is the International Rescue Committee?

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) help people affected by humanitarian crises to survive, recover and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, we now work in over 50 crisis-affected countries as well as communities throughout Europe and the Americas.