Oxfam’s Hunger Virus Multiplies Report
Source : OXAFAM
Issues relating to poverty and hunger

What is discussed under Oxfam’s Hunger Virus Multiplies Report ?

1. Major Findings
2. Situation In India
   • What India did with the support of Oxfam?
   • Reasons for Increase in Hunger
3. How can it be addressed ?

Why in News ?

 The Hunger Virus Multiplies, a new Oxfam report published recently. 11 people are likely dying every minute from acute hunger.

Key Facts

• Background
  • A year and a half since the Covid-19 pandemic began the report has  high importance for assessing Hunger related issue
  • Ongoing conflict combined with the economic disruptions of the pandemic and an escalating climate crisis has deepened poverty and catastrophic food insecurity in the world’s hunger hotspots and established strongholds in new epicentres of hunger.
• Major Findings
  • 11 people are likely dying every minute from acute hunger linked to three lethal C’s :- conflict, Covid-19, and the

    

    climate crisis.

    • This is 36 per cent more than the seven people dying around the world every minute as a result of Covid-19.
  • This rate outpaces the current pandemic mortality rate, which is at 7 people per minute.
  • More than half a million people are living in famine-like conditions.
  • Also brink of starvation.
  • The current situation led to a six-fold increase in catastrophic levels of hunger since the beginning of 2020.
  • 155 million people around the world are facing crisis levels of hunger and malnutrition a rise of 20 million compared to last year.
  • Major Hunger Hotspots
    • Afghanistan, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen continue to suffer from conflict
    • Also have witnessed a surge in extreme levels of hunger since last year.
  • Emerging Hunger Hotspots
    • Hunger has also intensified in middle income countries such as Brazil, India and South Africa which have experienced some of the highest numbers of Covid-19 infections.
    • In Brazil extreme poverty nearly tripled and almost 20 million people were pushed into hunger during the pandemic.
  • Issues related to climate change
    • 400 weather-related disasters have increased hunger in communities
    • Many of which are already battered by conflict and coronavirus.
    • Severely disrupted food production has led to a 40 per cent surge in global food prices, the highest rise in over a decade.

Situation In India

• Millions of people are experiencing a severe lack of food.
• In 2020 nearly 190 million people were under-nourished and over one third of children under the age of five were stunted.
• People’s consumption of essential food staples like lentils fell by 64% while their consumption of green vegetables  plummeted by 73% in 2020.
• Over 70% of people reported having to reduce their overall quantity of food intake compared to their pre-pandemic eating levels.
• Reasons for Increase in Hunger
  • Reduced income, poor implementation of social protection programmes, and school closures have fuelled hunger in India.
    • 120 million children across the country who relied on schools mid-day meals could no longer receive food.
  • A survey of 47,000 households across 15 states found that the average family lost more than 60% of its income since the pandemic due to massive job losses especially in the informal sector.
  • Nearly 8 million jobs were cut in the month of April 2021 alone.
  • The government relies on 2011 Census data for calculating beneficiaries of its Public Distribution Scheme which is 10 year old.
    • It is estimated that only 57% of the population entitled to this assistance is covered.
• What India did with the support of Oxfam?
  • 423,800 people in 92 districts across 16 states with dry ration kits and cooked meal packets.
  • With the country experiencing a second wave of the pandemic Oxfam extended food distribution to Delhi and Maharashtra.
  • Also campaigning to ensure that India’s poor and marginalized communities have access to government relief packages and other benefits.

How can it be addressed ?

• Governments must focus on funding urgent hunger response and social protection programs to save lives now, rather than striking arms deals that perpetuate conflict, war and hunger.
• As equally important as stopping Covid-19 itself is stopping it from killing more people through hunger.
• Need action to create fairer, more resilient and sustainable ways of feeding the world.
• Waiver Covid-19 vaccine patents to ensure developing countries can vaccinate their people.
• Guarantee humanitarian assistance reaches people.
• Promote women’s leadership in COVID-19 solutions.
• Take urgent action to tackle the climate crisis.

Daily Current Affairs : Click Here