NAIROBI — Food insecurity is on the rise across the African continent, fueled by conflict, climate change, economic slowdowns, pests, and the COVID-19 pandemic. But this trend could be turned around if humanitarian responses were managed differently, according to speakers at the 31st session of the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Regional Conference for Africa, which was held virtually this week.
Humanitarian responses often operate in silos from development efforts and not enough is done to forecast risk and build resilience to shocks in populations, experts said. This approach only creates short-term solutions to food insecurity.
“Only if we stabilize humanitarian crises will we have a hope of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Mark Lowcock, United Nations undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator.
About the author
Sara Jervingsarajerving
Sara Jerving is a Senior Reporter at Devex, where she covers global health. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, VICE News, and Bloomberg News among others. Sara holds a master's degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism where she was a Lorana Sullivan fellow. She was a finalist for One World Media's Digital Media Award in 2021; a finalist for the Livingston Award for Young Journalists in 2018; and she was part of a VICE News Tonight on HBO team that received an Emmy nomination in 2018. She received the Philip Greer Memorial Award from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in 2014.
