Australia is closely monitoring the impacts of record high global food prices and growing food insecurity. The numbers of those facing acute food insecurity are rising and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) estimates around 345 million people currently face acute food insecurity, with up to 50 million people across 45 countries on the brink of famine.
Helping lift people out of poverty is the right thing to do. It reflects the Australian character – a generous and compassionate nation, committed to the fair go.
In response to food insecurity, we can take several actions, including continuing humanitarian support.
Australia relies on trusted humanitarian partners such as the WFP to reach the most vulnerable with lifesaving food assistance. In 2021-22, Australia provided more than $157 million to support WFP’s work. This included flexible funding to allow WFP to allocate resources to countries in greatest need, as well as funding directed to particular crisis responses, such as Ukraine and Afghanistan.
Australia is also responding to the food security crisis by ensuring that global agricultural trade remains open, and for any strategic reserves or stockpiling programs to minimise market distortion and be consistent with WTO rules. This is essential to the continued flow of food and vital inputs to agricultural production.
Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine is driving the global food and energy crisis, leaving millions at risk of hunger, including in our region. We have called on Russia to uphold its commitments to enable Ukrainian grain exports and to cease its war against the people of Ukraine. The Government is committed to ensuring Australia remains a reliable supplier of food products to the world, especially in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Australian Government is committed to a development program that is generous, effective and targeted. We will provide a further $1 billion in Official Development Assistance over the next four years, with a strong focus on the Pacific (an additional $525 million) and Southeast Asia (an additional $470 million). We are listening to and working in partnership with our neighbours to ensure Australia’s development program is focused on the shared challenges facing the Indo-Pacific. This includes a commitment to supporting enhanced climate action in our region through increasing climate finance and new partnerships.
We are working with development partners to boost long-term agricultural resilience, sustainability, and productivity. We are leveraging our commitments to multilateral banks in order to provide finance that is well targeted to the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable. Australia is also assisting smallholders to improve the way they grow and access food in countries such as Timor-Leste.
