Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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The most recent UN’s State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report shows that nearly one-tenth of the world’s population, or over 800 million people, are undernourished., and that this number is increasing.  Across 55 countries, over 75 million children under five are stunted (too short for their ages) and over 15 million wasted (too thin for their ages).

Africa remains disproportionally affected by acute food insecurity, and in a number of countries the situation is deteriorating. The roots of hunger lie in poverty, deprivation and exclusion, exacerbated by conflict and climate change: COVID-19 has amplified all of these drivers. Insecurity is a barrier to providing timely and effective assistance.

Ireland has been a long-standing champion of global efforts to reduce hunger and starvation, working with a range of development and humanitarian partners.

At last week’s Food Systems Summit, Ireland played a key role in the coalition on Zero Hunger. The action of this coalition, in the run up to the December Nutrition for Growth Summit in Japan, will focus on mobilising resources, and focusing efforts on coordinated, effective interventions in priority hunger hotspots.

At the UN Security Council, Ireland is playing a leading role on hunger, in particular through our work on Resolution 2417 on hunger and conflict. Discussions at the Council also address issues such as starvation as a weapon of war and the denial or impeding of humanitarian access.

The Irish National Task Team for Rural Africa, a collaboration between my Department, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, a number of State agencies, NGOs and representatives of Irish agribusiness companies, has made a number of recommendations to strengthen Ireland’s food systems contribution in Africa. Work is ongoing to implement those recommendations, including better coordination and targeting of the provision of Irish expertise on nutrition in Africa.

At present, Ireland holds a seat on the Executive Board of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), which provides an opportunity to champion issues of hunger and nutrition in its work, as well as across the Rome-based Agencies.

Together with our EU and UN partners, and through our Embassies on the ground, we will continue to closely monitor hunger crises across the globe, supporting political efforts to resolve conflicts, advocating for resource mobilisation, and championing effective responses. In 2020 (the last year for which figures are available), Ireland spent at least €193 million on projects that addressed hunger. As set out in A Better World, Ireland’s international development policy, our overseas assistance will continue to target those furthest behind, and continue to relentlessly focus on preventing hunger.