Rt. Hon. Lord Paul Boateng, a member of the UK House of Lords, delivered a sobering message on the state of global food security at the 2024 Annual Leadership Lecture held at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA).
Lord Boateng painted a stark picture of the severity of food insecurity affecting millions worldwide. He highlighted that many companies globally have recorded lower incomes than before the COVID-19 pandemic, exacerbating the crisis.
Lord Boateng shared a concerning statistic, noting that approximately 60% of the poorest countries in the world are in a state of debt crisis or at risk of it. He emphasized that the global economy has yet to recover, with many countries still struggling to overcome the pandemic’s impact.
The World Food Programme’s latest figures suggest that a staggering 309 million people face acute levels of food insecurity, a crisis that requires immediate attention. Lord Boateng also highlighted that domestic food price inflation remains high globally, with no country spared from its effects.
In the 2023 Global Hunger Index, Ghana ranks 62nd out of 125 countries, with a moderate level of hunger. Lord Boateng’s remarks serve as a call to action, urging leaders to address the pressing issue of food insecurity and its far-reaching consequences.
The lecture emphasized the need for collective efforts to mitigate the effects of food insecurity and ensure a more food-secure future for all.
