The number of people facing acute food insecurity could nearly double this year to 265 million due to the economic fallout of coronavirus, the United Nations’ World Food Programme has warned.
The impact of lost tourism revenues, falling remittances and travel and other restrictions linked to the coronavirus pandemic are expected to leave some 130 million people acutely hungry this year, adding to around 135 million already in that category.
In some cases, such as when farmers sell their ploughs or oxen, it could have knock-on effects for food production for years to come, he added. Category 5 means mass starvation. UN officials did not give a geographical breakdown of the growing needs, but said that Africa was likely to be hardest hit.
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