ISTANBUL/BRUSSELS/ROME, 23 May 2016 (FAO/EU/WFP): A new network to achieve joint global food-security assessments and joint responses to food crises, including those related to phenomena such as El Niño, was launched in Istanbul today by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the European Union.
The Global Network for Food Insecurity, Risk Reduction and Food Crises Response will pave the way for enhancing the impact of future responses to food crises at the global level by regularly producing, in real time, joint reports based on key analyses and containing timely response options.
This will prompt coordination among stakeholders and promote joint planning and joint responses to food crises. In addition, it will improve learning from past crises and increase the level of transparency and availability of crucial analysis of global needs.
240 million people are in a food stress situation
According to the report, currently some 240 million people across 70 countries are in a food stress situation, including 80 million people in food crisis (figures as of January 2016). Nearly half of those people are located in countries affected by the El Niño phenomenon.
Worsened by economic shocks
Speaking at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, WFP Executive Director Ertharin Cousin said the initiative will provide the best food security data to stakeholders.
European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica, said:
Making assistance more effective
