Canadian Foodgrains Bank welcomes the announcement today by the Government of Canada to provide $155 million to help fight global hunger and acute malnutrition.
The $10 million allocated to the Foodgrains Bank will be designated for programs focusing on emergency responses and building future resilience in areas where the effects of poverty, unpredictable and extreme weather, and conflict have been further exacerbated by COVID-19.
“This support from the government is a welcome response to the current crises. 41 million people are currently at risk of falling into famine, meaning famine-like conditions are already visible. Our members and their partners are already working in these areas, and this increased support across the development sector will save even more lives,” says Foodgrains Bank executive director Andy Harrington.
In 2020, the world experienced the single largest increase in global hunger ever recorded. Without interventions like this, the lack of nutrition could result in more than 2 million vulnerable children having their growth stunted and up to 168,000 children dying as a result.
“Famines can be prevented, if there is a concerted, compassionate global response and this announcement by the Canadian government is a good start to a very serious problem,” says Harrington. “We know from our supporters just how much Canadians care about the issue of hunger, and hope that more people around the world rise up to intervene.”
