Nobel Peace Prize 2020 has been given to the World Food Programme (WFP), one of the largest humanitarian organizations addressing hunger and promoting food security and definitely a breakthrough in identifying the seriousness of the global food crisis.
This prize brings to attention the sustained efforts to fight hunger and famine from the grassroots to the highest levels of global governance. While recognizing those who struggle to ban nuclear weapons, restrict arms production and arms trade, and prevent conflict through diplomacy may seem directly relevant for the peace prize, putting the focus on the consequences of war is also an important part of working towards peace and the well-being of people.UNSCR 2417 had very clearly prepared the ground to focus world attention on the after-effects of war, including continued suffering of food-insecure people and severely undernourished children. The Nobel committee has further stressed the link between armed conflict and hunger — something that the WFP also recently reminded us of. Almost 80 percent of all chronic malnourished children inhabit countries affected by armed conflict. Corona pandemic this year has worsened the problem of food insecurity and famines.
It is anticipated that the number of hungry people could increase to 270 million under the impact of the pandemic, with the most acute suffering and starvation experienced in conflict zones.Providing people with food in an emergency situation may seem like a very short-term measure. At the same time, providing for basic needs is necessary for promoting trust in society and for the focus to shift to education, work, and rebuilding lives. This is also important for preventing the outbreak of new hostilities and armed conflicts.Hunger is not inevitable: It is man-made and there are victims and perpetrators. Those perpetrators include — but are not restricted to — state actors who, through what they do or what they fail to do, contribute to starvation.
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has further exacerbated the threat of hunger, ever since the lockdown was introduced and millions of daily-wage earners lost their livelihood, giving rise to massive reverse migration and the impact of climate change on the future of crop production is not even fully known yet.The World Food Programme has delivered food aid and worked to alleviate hunger in many parts of the world, including India. Recognizing its work at this critical juncture is not only a much-needed act of appreciation but an urgent warning that we all need to heed. The world faces a severe food crisis as the threat of famines and starvation is magnified during the ongoing pandemic. This slow violence on vulnerable populations will weigh on our collective conscience, if we do not recognize hunger as the ultimate violation of basic human rights and dignity, and join hands to eradicate it.