World food crisis: What you can do today

Right now, in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and South Sudan, thousands of families are fighting a serious hunger crisis.

“You have stood in solidarity to support our sisters and brothers around the world. But from someone who can see this terrible situation unfolding, I am asking for your help once again.” 
Abebe Belachew, Senior Development Officer, Ethiopia

What is happening in East Africa?

Millions of people across East Africa are facing the threat of starvation following four failed rainy seasons in a row.

These people are from resilient communities, used to farming through extreme weather, but this drought means families are no longer able to cope.

A famine has not yet been declared, but by the time this happens, the opportunity to save thousands of lives and millions of livelihoods could have been missed.

Nyanguet, a farmer in South Sudan, had to flee her home with her young children after it was attacked. Although she has been welcomed by another community, together they are now struggling to have enough to eat.

How is CAFOD responding to the food crisis?

Our local Church aid workers aren’t waiting for a declaration of famine. They are already on the front line of this hunger crisis in the affected countries, getting emergency food supplies and clean water to vulnerable families in need.

Hadoya is one of these local experts, from a community affected in Ethiopia. She is passing on extreme weather training and helping to make sure people get cash to buy the food they need to survive the drought.

Thanks to your support and the work of people like Hadoya, Guyo, a farmer who had lost all of his animals to the drought, was able to get the cash grant that he needed.

How has our community in England and Wales responded?

You’ve not waited for a declaration of famine either - we’ve been humbled and inspired by your incredible response to our World Food Crisis appeal.

Ibrahim Njugana, our Emergency Response Coordinator responding to the crisis across East Africa, tells us how your support is already making a difference.

Why is my continued support important?

Talaso is a young mum living in northern Kenya who you may have met through our Harvest appeal.

Like Guyo and the people Ibrahim is working alongside, she has become used to coping with extreme weather, but this drought has killed almost all the animals she relied on to earn a living.

Talaso’s neighbours shared their food and water. They always help each other in times of need. But this drought has gone on so long, soon nobody will have anything left to give.

Your continued support today can help our local experts stop this crisis turning into one of the worst humanitarian tragedies we’ve ever seen.

Abebe Belachew, one of CAFOD's Senior Development Officers based in East Africa, told us “You have stood in solidarity to support our sisters and brothers around the world. But from someone who can see this terrible situation unfolding, I am asking for your help once again.”

What are the causes of the world food crisis?

This disaster has been created by a perfect storm of converging crises - including the coronavirus pandemic, climate change and the Ukraine conflict - causing food prices to skyrocket.

Our global food system is at breaking point. All around the world – including here, in the UK – families are finding it harder than ever to put food on the table.

In the affected areas of East Africa, many of the people worst affected have been learning to cope with the impacts of climate change for years – but collapsing supply chains, on top of four consecutive years of unbearable drought, have put everything they’ve worked for at risk.

Is ending hunger possible in the long term?

We believe that a future without hunger for our global family is possible if we work together.

Governments must look to end conflicts and allow humanitarian access to all areas where vulnerable people need life-saving aid. And to end hunger permanently, governments must be willing and able to rebuild a sustainable and fairer global economy. 

Hunger is a symptom of a deeper problem in a world in which the current system of growing, producing and consuming food works against the world’s poorest communities.