Combatting Food Insecurity

The multiple effects of climate crisis, the war in Ukraine as well as the continuing impact of Covid-19 pandemic, has pushed global food insecurity to record levels. The food crisis disproportionally affects developing countries and vulnerable populations.

Estimated 30 million people in Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mali, South Sudan, Syria and Uganda are in acute food insecurity in 2023. These countries are facing multiple challenges aggravating the already very concerning food insecurity situation. In addition to the price increases created by the pressures on global supply chains, food insecurity is driven by extreme climate events such as droughts and floods, while most of the countries are simultaneously also impacted by organised violence and armed conflict.

While international food prices have come down from their peak in 2022, prices remain above pre-pandemic levels and has not translated into lower domestic prices in Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mali, South Sudan, Syria and Uganda. To the contrary, for example in Syria, the price of food has doubled compared to a year ago and is thirteen times more expensive than three years ago.

The food crisis disproportionately affects women and girls and exacerbates existing risks of gender-based violence and inequalities. When there is not enough food to go around, women typically pay the highest price cutting down their own intake to save food for other members of the household. The global gender gap in food insecurity, which sat at 1.7 per cent in 2019, rose to over 4 per cent in 2021. In addition to women, displacement affected populations, poor households, persons with disabilities, and children are most severely affected by the ongoing food and nutrition crisis.

The project

The Norad funded project Combatting Food Insecurity among the Most Vulnerable in 6 Countries addresses food security and nutrition needs of 115 000 people in Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mali, South Sudan, Syria and Uganda. The project addresses both the immediate food and nutrition crisis while improving long term food security through climate adaptive food production and livelihood activities.

The project targets especially small-scale food producers, who are essential for increasing local and sustainable food production. The project enables small scale food producers to get access to productive assets, financing and knowledge to increase productivity and improve food production. The project is designed to benefit especially small-scale food producers and other community members from vulnerable groups who have been most severely affected by the food and nutrition crisis, including women, displacement affected populations, persons with disabilities as well as children and youth. In addition to supporting small scale food producers to adopt climate friendly and adaptive techniques to increase food production, the project also provides cash and supplementary food and nutrition to vulnerable households and children to address their immediate needs. By supporting especially women and vulnerable groups, the project contributes to reducing inequalities and closing the food insecurity gender gap.

This project is supported by Norad with 68,9 million NOK (around 6 MEUR)

Project countries: Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mali, South Sudan, Syria and Uganda