The report analyses various drivers of food insecurity and how can trade play a mitigating role in addressing these challenges 

Role of Trade 

• Sustainable supplies can ensure food availability: E.g. 30% of Africa’s cereal needs are met through imports
• Stabilizing prices and markets: E.g. Black Sea Initiative (brokered by UN and Türkiye) during Russia-Ukraine war facilitated food and fertilizer exports

Challenges

• Higher costs: E.g. non-tariff measures, such as sanitary standards, can increase food import costs by 20%.
• High Import dependency: It exposes countries to global price hikes and supply chain disruptions. 
• Rising transportation costs: It affects developing and least developed countries disproportionately.

Recommendations 

• Reach a “Short Term Export Facilitation Mechanism to Combat Severe Food Insecurity” at international forum, such as WTO 
• Reduce trade barriers & boost export capacities of food insecure countries.
• Invest in trade infrastructure such as ports, transport networks and storage facilities to shorten supply chains and reduce vulnerabilities to global disruptions especially for low-income countries.
• Support climate-smart and sustainable farming in developing countries.

Factsheet >280 million faced acute hunger whereas ~733 million faced chronic hunger (2023) Without urgent action, 582 million could be chronically hungry by 2030. Drivers of global hunger Armed conflict: affected 5 million people in 20 countries(2022) Climate change: It has led to reduction in agricultural productivity by 21% since 1961. Urbanization: It is blurring lines between rural and urban areas thereby impacting agrifood systems