Jakarta: The number of Syrians who lack access to sufficient food has reached a record 12.4 million, or nearly 60 percent of the population, the World Food Programme (WFP) reported on Wednesday.
Economic crisis, job losses stemming from the covid-19 pandemic, and soaring food prices have added to the plight of people who have been displaced and worn down by a decade of conflict.
The findings are the result of a nationwide food security assessment last year carried out by the United Nations (UN) agency and partners late last year.
"The situation has never been worse. After 10 years of conflict, Syrian families have exhausted their savings as they face a spiralling economic crisis," said Sean O’Brien, WFP Representative and Country Director in Syria, in a press release.
Syrians have been grappling with a rise in the price of basic items over the past year as the national currency, the Syrian Pound, has plummeted in value.
Meanwhile, the cost of basic foods to feed a family for a month – such as bread, rice, lentils, oil and sugar – far exceeds average salaries.
WFP further estimates that the number of Syrians who are severely food insecure, meaning they cannot survive without food assistance, has doubled in the past year to 1.3 million.
Another 1.8 million people are at risk unless urgent action is taken, the agency warned.
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