One billion people live in hunger

The number of hungry people in the world is forecast to reach a record high of just over a billion this year according to a forecast from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. The figure is expected to be 100m higher than last year as a result of the global economic slowdown and rising world food prices. The slowdown has in turn led to lower incomes, higher unemployment and lower remittances from migrant workers.

The FAO’s annual report on The State of Food Insecurity in the World is due to be published in October.