Global Hunger Index report 2011

IFPRI’s 2011 Global Hunger Index (GHI) report—the sixth in an annual series—presents a multidimensional measure of global, regional, and national hunger. It shows that although the world has made some progress in reducing hunger, the proportion of hungry people remains high. The 2011 GHI has improved by slightly more than one-quarter over the 1990 GHI, but globally, hunger remains at a level categorized as “serious.” In addition to presenting the 2011 GHI scores, the report examines the issue of price spikes and excessive food price volatility, which have significant effects on poor and hungry people.

Global averages mask dramatic differences among regions and countries. The 2011 GHI scores for South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa remain alarming, whereas scores are low for Latin America and the Caribbean, the Near East and North Africa, and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States. All regions made progress although the situation in 6 individual countries has worsened. Of these the Democratic Republic of Congo stands out. There, the GHI score rose by about 63 percent from the 1990 GHI to the 2011 GHI. Conflict and political insta­bility have increased hunger in the country, as well as in Burundi, the Comoros, and Côte d’Ivoire. With the transition toward peace and political stabilization in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi around 2002–03, these two countries have begun to slowly recover from decades of economic decline, but hunger is still extremely alarming in both countries.

In recent years world food markets have been character­ized by rising and more volatile prices. This situation has serious implications for poor and hungry people, who have little capacity to adjust to price spikes and rapid shifts. Price increases and volatility have arisen for three main reasons: increased biofuel production, increased speculation, and climate change.

It recommends the following actions to address volatility and combat hunger:

Revise biofuel policies. All distortive policies, such as biofuel subsidies and mandates, should be removed or min­imized. In addition, the focus of policies should shift toward promoting small-scale production and use of second-generation biofuels at the community level, as well as the use of by-products from existing industries to provide elec­tricity for off-grid villages, given their current lack of access.

Regulate financial activity in food markets. To reduce incentives for excessive speculation in food commodities, three measures are needed: stronger reporting require­ments for commodity exchange transactions, increased capital deposit requirements, and stricter position and price limits.

Adapt to and mitigate extreme weather and climate change. Innovations are needed to help safeguard small­holders against weather-related income shocks, and coun­tries must implement low-carbon development strategies. It is imperative that an international climate agreement is reached.

Balance global export market structures through the promotion of pro-poor agricultural growth. It is essential to increase and diversify global productivity and produc­tion in order to raise the number of countries that export staple foods.

Build up food reserves. Well-coordinated international food reserves can effectively mitigate price spikes andvolatility by making stocks available when supplies are tight. In addition, national food reserves can act as an emergency mechanism to satisfy the needs of the most vulnerable.

Share information on food markets. Information on the current situation and outlook for global agriculture shapes expectations about future prices and allows markets to function more efficiently.

Establish national social protection systems. Sustainable protection of the poorest people against income shocks requires the development of nationally owned and institutionalized social protection systems.

Improve emergency preparedness. National govern­ments and international agencies must adopt policies to protect the most vulnerable populations. Emergencyagencies typically respond to natural disasters and complex humanitarian emergencies, but not to slow-onset disasters such as food price crises. This situation needs to change.

Invest in smallholder farmers and sustainable and climate-adaptive agriculture. After serious neglect in past decades, both national governments and international donors need to increase investments in agriculture. To improve resilience, farmers need access to inputs backed by appropriate financing channels, knowledge transfer through extension services, support for crop diversifica­tion, natural resource management, and improved rural and regional market infrastructure.

Foster and support nonfarm income opportunities in rural areas, and improve livelihood options for the poor in urban areas. Support to agriculture needs to be embedded in broader rural development efforts: farmers producing solely for subsistence without additional income opportu­nities will remain vulnerable to weather and price shocks.

Strengthen basic service provision at all levels. The human capital of those living in poverty—whether urban slum dwellers or rural smallholder farmers—is danger­ously compromised by poor access to basic services, including healthcare, education, sanitation, and potable water.

You can read the report and associated materials (including a shorter briefing paper) here.