Egypt Approves India As A Wheat Supplier: Ministry Of Commerce And Industry.

Why in news?

• Egypt, one of the world’s biggest importers of wheat which has been importing wheat from Russia and Ukraine, has agreed to source wheat from India.
• India is second largest producer of wheat after China.

Current Status of global food security

• Between 2019 and 2022, number of people at the brink of famine rose from 27 million to 44 million.
• 5 million people in 17 countries faced acute food insecurity.
• Global food prices rose by over 20% in February 2022.

Reasons for global food crisis includes

• Increasing prices of food, fertilizer, oil, gas and even metals like aluminium, nickel and palladium.
• Supply chain constraints and coronavirus pandemic has caused prices to spike.
• High energy costs.
• Climate change- droughts, floods and fires.

Suggestions to address food insecurity

• Integrating humanitarian, development and peace-building policies in conflict-affected areas.
• Scaling up climate resilience across food systems.
• Social protection policies.
• Strengthening resilience of the most vulnerable to economic adversity.
• Intervening along food supply chains to lower the cost of nutritious foods.