Committee Reports

NARRATIVE REPORT ON FOOD ASSISTANCE BY MEMBERS OF THE
FOOD ASSISTANCE CONVENTION

2019 Food Assistance Convention Narrative Report

Global emergency hunger remained at its highest level in 2019. Almost 135 million people in 55 countries, or 16% of the population analysed, were classified in crisis condition or worse (IPC/CH Phase 3 or above)1. This marks the highest number in the four years since the Global Report on Food Crises was launched. The persistence of food crises was due in large part to multiple ongoing humanitarian crises linked to protracted conflicts, often in combination with exacerbating elements such as climate shocks, economic instability, and widespread poverty. The complexity and protracted nature of these food crises calls for the commitment and determination of the international community to respond through a holistic manner, working across the humanitarian-development-peace (HDP) nexus, and intervening with the necessary assistance in a timely and efficient manner, in alignment with International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence.

The continuous increase of people affected by food insecurity emphasizes the ongoing relevance of the Food Assistance Convention (FAC). The FAC represents a continued commitment by its Parties2 to contribute to global food security and to improve the ability of the international community to respond to emergency food crises, to save and change lives, to reduce hunger, to improve levels of nutrition, to create livelihoods, and to strengthen the resilience and self-sufficiency of the most vulnerable populations. Parties of the FAC commits themselves to be part of the solution to these challenges by pledging an annual contribution targeted at the improvement of food security. Parties of the FAC prepare an annual financial and narrative report, describing and highlighting their individual contributions to food security in the world. These reports, which are summarized and consolidated in the annual Food Assistance Convention Report, helps to improve data sharing and transparency among Parties and relevant actors.

In 2019, all Parties fulfilled or substantially exceeded their commitments and contributed with a total of almost six billion US dollars to the improvement of worldwide food security. Key responses were carried out in collaboration with various agencies and programmes of the United Nations, national governments in the developing world, and civil-society organisations. Geographically, food assistance was provided in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Pacific region. At an interventional level, food assistance was provided as in-kind food distribution, cash-based transfers, food vouchers, fortified food programmes, school feeding programmes, work-for-food programmes, nutrition-targeted interventions, and much more.