The Global Food Crisis: The Role of the UN in Humanitarian Assistance

Abstract

The world has faced the big F’s during the past two years: Fuel, Food and the Financial crises. Though the financial crisis has taken a forefront in 2009 and signs of recession seem to be diminishing, one cannot say the same of the Global Food Crisis. Over a year has passed since the international community began to find solutions to the food crisis, unfortunately, there are more hungry people in the world than any given time in history. The impact felt all over the world, especially on those who are the most vulnerable of all populations has been tremendous. In mid 2009, FAO estimated that 1.02 billion people, almost 60 million more people than this time last year, have been plunged into hunger.

While there are a number of initiatives launched by various actors all over the world, it has becoming evident that a more planned, coordinated and cohesive effort is required in finding sustainable solutions to combat the food crisis. The United Nations, as the international body mandated to lead and coordinate response to crises formed the High-Level Task Force (HLTF) on the Global Food Security Crisis under the chairmanship of the UN Secretary General. The HLTF formulated a set of short-term and long-term outcomes and actions under the Comprehensive Framework of Action (CFA) that could be followed by the international community to combat the food crisis.

Complex emergencies, natural and man-made disasters have already compounded the ability of the most vulnerable populations such as women, children, refugees, displaced and poor to cope with the food crisis. This study attempts to evaluate the role taken on by the UN when providing humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable populations in the context of the Global Food Crisis. The UN has had to evolve with such complex situations and has had to re-think the way they deliver humanitarian assistance. However, this study highlights the need for the UN to change the way it works by revisiting existing humanitarian and food architecture, policies and programmes, especially in the face of the Global Food Crisis.

Keywords: global food crisis, food security, food insecurity, humanitarian assistance, humanitarian reform, UN role, UN reform