Empower HER to address food and nutrition security in Africa

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Food and nutrition insecurity is escalating across the world.  Food price inflation exceeds 20180510-guinea-tremeau-230_oct_15_2022_1140x500.jpgoverall inflation in most countries, and at least 123 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) will be in food crisis by the end of the year. This is partly due to lack of investments in domestic food production, exacerbated by climatic shocks, the COVID-19 crisis, and impacts of the war in Ukraine.

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Currency Depreciations Risk Intensifying Food, Energy Crisis in Developing EconomiesFood Security: Latest Update – October 17, 2022

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One Health Approach Can Prevent the Next Pandemic

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The number of emerging infectious disease (EID) outbreaks has grown to several hundred per boy-buffalo-one-health780x439year since 2000. Recent diseases such as SARS, avian influenza, Ebola – and the enormous health, economic, and societal impacts of COVID-19 – have not yet solicited global unity on the importance of preventing pandemics rather than responding to outbreaks as they emerge. What will it take for world leaders, countries, organizations, and communities to understand that prevention is better than cure? The World Bank’s latest flagship report, “Putting Pandemics Behind Us: Investing in One Health to Reduce Risks of Emerging Infectious Diseases,” is a clarion call for the universal adoption of an integrated approach to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals, and ecosystems.

Setting standards: Why updating poverty lines matters in East Asia

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East Asia prides itself on rapid economic progress over the past few decades with millionsuntitled_design.jpg lifted out of poverty. Between 2008 and 2018, real per capita GDP in the region grew at an average rate of 6.7 percent per year, significantly above the global average of 1.5 percent. Yet the extent of progress on poverty is exaggerated by the fact that poverty thresholds are set too low compared to other countries at similar income levels. This leads to policies which do not do justice to the scale of the problem. New numbers released by the World Bank using global benchmarks underscore this point. 

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Food Security: Latest Update – October 17, 2022

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Domestic food price inflation remains high around the world. Information between May todownload September 2022 shows high inflation in almost all low-income and middle-income countries; 88.9% of low-income countries, 91.1% of lower-middle-income countries, and 96% of upper-middle-income countries have seen inflation levels above 5%, with many experiencing double-digit inflation. The share of high-income countries with high food price inflation has risen to 85.7%.

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Correcting course to accelerate poverty reduction

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On End Poverty Day this year, it’s hard to find cause for celebration.  The COVID19mari_blog_october_17_1140x500.jpeg pandemic triggered a historic setback, pushing 70 million people into extreme poverty in 2020 – the largest one-year increase in three decades.  The war in Ukraine deepened the global economic slowdown, which is now in its steepest decline following a post-recession recovery since 1970. At this rate, nearly 7 percent of the world’s population – almost 600 million people – will still be struggling in extreme poverty in 2030.   

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