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UN report lists Nigeria top of 16 African countries as hunger hotspots
The United Nations has issued a warning about an impending crisis of severe hunger and famine in certain regions, driven by conflict, climate change, and economic stress.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WPF) recently published the “Hunger Hotspots” report, which highlights the devastating impact of conflict, climate change, and economic instability on food security across the world.
The causes of food insecurity in Africa are complex and multifaceted. Some of the key factors include Conflict and political instability, Climate change, Poverty and inequality and rapidly expanding population growth.
The chief economist of the World Food Program, Arif Husain, notes that the intensifying impacts of conflict and climate change are leading to a surge in hunger levels in some nations.
The rating divided the 16 listed countries into three categories. In this classification, Nigeria leads Category 2 which is described as Hotspots of Very High Concern.
“So, you have conflict impacts, climate impacts in the same countries, as well as both the combination of the two turns into economic devastation for people,” Husain said.
The UN’s annual report on food security and nutrition warns that Africa is poised to overtake Asia as the continent with the highest prevalence of hunger by 2030.
Currently, Asia has the largest number of hungry people, with 384.5 million individuals facing hunger in 2023, compared to Africa’s 298.4 million.
However, the report notes a worrying trend of rising undernourishment in Africa, where 20.4% of the population lacks access to nutritious food, and predicts that Africa will soon have the highest number of people experiencing hunger.
Africa’s hunger hotspots have been identified in 16 countries and categorized into three levels of concern: Hotspots of Highest concern (Category 3), Hotspots of Very high concern (Category 2), and Hotspots of Concern (Category 1).
According to the WFP and FAO.2024 Hunger Hotspots analysis, the 16 countries identified as hunger hotspots are presented below;
The data shows that three African countries were identified as Hotspots of highest concern and they include Mali, Sudan and South Sudan. Other countries in this category are Palestine and Haiti bringing the global count to five countries. These countries require the most urgent attention.
Three countries were also identified as countries of very high concern and 10 countries were also identified as just Hotspots.
Some of the countries at the highest hotspots concern are countries/territories with famine or risk of famine, or with populations already in catastrophe.
CREDIT: Business Insider
The world’s tallest woman and the world’s shortest woman met for the first time this week, sipping tea from china cups — and bonding over what they have in common while celebrating their differences.
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
Rumeysa Gelgi, from Turkey, stands at 7 feet and 0.7 inches, while Jyoti Amge, from India, is 2 feet and 0.7 inches.
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
Jyoti Amge, shortest woman, and Rumeysa Gelgi, tallest woman, meet for the first time and share afternoon tea
“You’re so beautiful,” said Gelgi, 27. “Thank you — you too,” replied Amge, 30.
Their meeting, over afternoon tea at London’s Savoy Hotel on Tuesday, came ahead of Guinness World Records Day, which is held annually in November to mark record-breaking achievements and encourage people to attempt records. The pair have been honored as “World Record icons” in the 70th anniversary edition of the Guinness World Records book.
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“Meeting Jyoti for the first time was wonderful,” Gelgi said in a release Wednesday. “She’s the most gorgeous lady. I was waiting to meet her for a long time.”
Gelgi said the pair bonded over their love for makeup, jewelry and doing their nails.
Video footage showed them sitting down for tea, cakes and sandwiches stacked next to them, with the London Eye visible from the window.
Amge said in the release that she was “so happy to look up” and see the world’s tallest woman, whom she called “good-natured.” She added that it was difficult at times for the pair to make eye contact “due to our height difference.”
“Guinness World Records is all about celebrating differences,” its editor in chief, Craig Glenday, said in a statement ahead of Guinness World Record Day, which is on Thursday.
“By bringing together these two amazing, iconic women, they can share their perspectives on life with each other and, also, with us,” Glenday said.
Gelgi’s record-breaking height is due to a rare genetic condition called Weaver syndrome, which causes rapid growth, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders.
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The primary symptom is growth and bone development that occurs faster than usual, making those affected taller than average. People with Weaver syndrome may have rigid muscles and difficulty extending their elbows or knees.
Gelgi used a walking aid for support during the pair’s meeting. Her case of Weaver syndrome was the 27th ever diagnosed and the first in Turkey, according to Guinness World Records.
Weaver syndrome is generally caused by changes in the EZH2 gene, according to the NORD, though the organization notes that some people with Weaver syndrome do not have a mutation in the gene.
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Amge, an actor who played the character of Ma Petite in the television series “American Horror Story,” has a genetic growth disorder that occurs in the early stages of fetal development, known as achondroplasia.
According to Johns Hopkins, the condition causes shorter bones, abnormally shaped bones and shorter stature. While the genetic defect can be passed from parent to child, in about 80 percent of cases, achondroplasia results from a spontaneous mutation that occurs in the developing embryo.
On Thursday, Gelgi shared photos on Instagram of the two exploring London despite the cold weather, posing side by side in front of Tower Bridge.
See Photos of World’s Tallest and Shortest Women Meet for Afternoon Tea in London
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