One in five people today suffer from hunger and malnutrition, the effects of which on the physical and mental growth of those affected can be irreversible in some cases. Not only is hunger morally unacceptable, but it also acts as a brake on economic and human development in the poorest countries.

Having already taken a dramatic turn, this situation has deteriorated further on the back of the combined impact of recent food emergencies and economic crises as well as climate change. In the face of this unprecedented situation, the Commission moved swiftly to step up its anti-poverty efforts: in addition to pre-existing instruments, since 2008 it has also mobilised in excess of 1.25 billion euro extra for the worst affected populations.

This is the background against which EuropeAid has produced this brochure, as a way of illustrating how the Commission supports agricultural production and access to food and also prevents malnutrition in around 80 countries.
After a brief reminder of the fundamental causes of hunger, the brochure presents the wide range of instruments at the Commission’s disposal for responding to food insecurity. The final two parts describe the types of intervention that are being implemented and provide an overview of the actual programmes supported by EuropeAid on the ground.

These actions further boost the importance attached to food insecurity as part of European aid efforts for developing countries. In accordance with the Commission’s commitments, our goal is for these efforts, coordinated with those being pursued by other sponsors, to contribute effectively to meeting the challenge of extreme poverty.