The report provides key information and figures on people facing acute food insecurity and in need of urgent food assistance. It reveals that around 193 million people in 53 countries or territories experienced acute food insecurity in 2021, an increase of nearly 40 million people from the already record numbers in 2020.

The report notes that conflicts remain the main driver of food insecurity. Although the analysis precedes Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the report finds that Russia's war of aggression has exposed the interconnected nature and fragility of global food systems, with serious consequences for global food and nutrition security. Countries already facing high levels of acute hunger are particularly vulnerable to the risks created by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, not least because of their heavy dependence on imports of food and agricultural inputs and their vulnerability to global food price shocks.

The EU, together with the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Programme, has co-funded the Global Network Against the Food Crisis to tackle the worrying trend of food crisis in partner countries. The EU has made available €120 million for the Global Network since 2016. You can find the full report here.