The Inside Story Podcast What's behind the worsening global hunger crisis?
Nov 19, 2025
Jean-Martin Bauer, Director at the UN World Food Programme, sheds light on alarming hunger statistics, revealing that over 300 million may face severe food insecurity. Shahin Ashraf from Islamic Relief Worldwide discusses how conflicts and inequality exacerbate these issues, stressing the dire consequences of funding cuts. Manenji Mangundu, Oxfam's Country Director in the DRC, shares firsthand insights into the challenges of humanitarian access amidst ongoing conflicts. Together, they call for urgent political action and sustainable solutions to combat this rising crisis.
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Conflict Is The Primary Driver
- Jean-Martin Bauer says the hunger crisis is mainly man-made, with two-thirds in conflict and fragility settings.
- Climatic and economic factors aggravate but do not outweigh the impact of wars and limited humanitarian access.
Plenty Of Food, Yet Millions Starve
- Shahin Ashraf highlights that abundant global food coexists with growing hunger due to access and inequality problems.
- She warns cuts to aid amplify conflict, displacement, and deeper food insecurity cycles.
DRC Farmers Blocked From Their Land
- Manenji Mangundu describes how conflict in DRC prevents farmers accessing land and disrupts national food trade.
- He reports nearly 28 million Congolese need aid while funding has fallen sharply this year.