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The response to the global food crisis must address the needs of women and girls
Development agencies are pouring in billions of dollars to address the global food crisis exacerbated by Russia’s war on Ukraine. The World Bank, the G7, the European Union’s Team Europe, and the United States have collectively pledged more than $40 billion to avert food and humanitarian crises. Yet this much-needed assistance carries its own risks. Without a gender lens, the proposed measures will fail to meet the specific needs of women and girls and might worsen existing gender inequalities.
Improving fruit and vegetable consumption will require a holistic approach
“Eat more fruit and vegetables.”
One of the world’s worst economic collapses, now compounded by the Ukraine crisis: What’s next for Lebanon?
High food prices and supply disruptions triggered by the Ukraine war are hitting Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) countries like Egypt, Sudan, and Yemen hard, partly due their heavy dependence on wheat imports. But in the region, Lebanon—already in the midst of one of the world’s worst economic collapses since the 1850s—is uniquely vulnerable to food security impacts from the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
A recent World Bank report calls Lebanon’s current crisis “The Great Denial”—referring to an ongoing breakdown of government services, civil society, and the economy.
Rising food prices are a concern but no reason for panic yet
Global food prices are on the rise. FAO’s Food Price Index indicates prices in international markets have risen by 40 percent from a year ago (May 2020). Prices of vegetable oils in particular have surged, showing an increase by almost 110 percent over the past year. Other commodity prices, like those for metals, oil, and other minerals prices also have shown sustained increases since mid-2020.
How concerned should we be?