Global food security meeting “failed” while millions are pushed to hunger – Oxfam reaction

In reaction to the outcomes of the Committee on World Food Security meeting which was held over the past four days, Thierry Kesteloot, Oxfam’s food policy advisor said:

"Oxfam is outraged that the world’s foremost platform on global food security and nutrition has failed to agree on any action close to sufficient in tackling the world’s COVID-fuelled food crisis.

There are over 270m people in the world going hungry each morning, many of whom are on the brink of famine. COVID, conflict, and climate change are combining in a perfect storm. The CFS platform that reports to the UN and is mandated to tackle this, has frozen in response.

“The Committee on World Food Security (CFS) should have agreed to protect local markets and smallholder farmers whose value chains have been devastated by COVID-19. Instead, rich food-exporting member states have chosen to protect their own interests and global food companies.

“The CFS must immediately increase support to developing countries to provide social protection to the most vulnerable people, including particularly women small farmers, and develop resilient food systems. It must also take bold steps to transform our global broken food systems which have exacerbated inequalities within and among countries.”