Number of people suffering from hunger doubled in the last decade

(Patria) - The number of people suffering from hunger remains at a dramatically high level worldwide, according to a report by the Global Network Against Food Crises (GNAFC).

Last year, as many as 266 million people in 47 countries around the world were at risk of acute food insecurity, according to the latest GNAFC data released yesterday.

The report states that ten countries were disproportionately affected, including Afghanistan, Sudan and Yemen.

Overall, acute food insecurity has doubled over the past ten years, according to the GNAFC report, and the scale of hunger globally remains alarmingly high.

The report highlights that last year, for the first time in history, famine was declared in two places: in parts of the Gaza Strip and in parts of Sudan.

Looking at the outlook for the current year, the network predicts a grim picture.

Current conflicts, climate change and global economic uncertainty are likely to keep the situation in many countries at a critical level or even worsen it, the report says.

The situation could be further exacerbated in certain countries and regions by the escalation of conflict in the Middle East, but the network says it is still too early for precise assessments.