Out of Sight + Out of Mind.
What do people eat during war and crisis?
The war in Ukraine and the threat of a possible third World War are inescapable these days. Our news and social feeds highlight the atrocity that is war and destruction. Images of blown-up buildings and ashen-faced citizens bunkered in train stations or crossing borders have left many of us with the visuals imprinted in our minds. Whenever conflict and crisis happen in the world I always gravitate to thinking about food.
What are people eating?
Who is coordinating the delivery of food aid?
What happens to food resources + local food systems during a crisis?
We sometimes hear about airdrops of food that are being delivered and rationed. Sometimes you may see huge cargo planes with pallets of boxed food being handed out to those in need.
Who gives food aid?
I did some research on humanitarian aid given during wars, environmental catastrophes, and conflicts. Some of the top names in food assistance are the UN World Food Programme, Save the Children, FAO (The Food + Agriculture Organization of the UN), and World Central Kitchen (founded by Spanish Chef José Andrés).
Where else is food assistance needed besides the current situation in Ukraine?
Afghanistan - According to the International Rescue Committee, 23 million Afghans are food insecure and of those 23 million, 9 million are facing severe malnutrition and are experiencing famine. Many (mostly children) will not survive the current winter.
The Democratic Republic of Congo - The DRC currently has 27 million citizens that are food insecure and of those 27 million, 3.5 million children have signs of malnourishment. In addition to food insecurity, the Congolese must also deal with threats of Ebola outbreaks. Their 12th one happened just last year.
Haiti - As the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has been dealt many devastating blows from political instability, natural disasters, to paying reparations to France for their own freedom which they’ve never bounced back from (yes you read that right). Currently, the country has over 4 million who have barely enough to eat daily, many living in remote villages with limited food infrastructures.
Syria - Syria has had civil unrest for the last decade, which has caused many Syrians to become refugees. According to the UN World Food Programme, more than 12 million people (about 60% of the population) do not know where their next meal will come from. In a WFP survey, some have said that they have cut down to only eating two meals a day in order to stretch food for their families.
Historically, what has happened with food Aid during a war or crisis?
One example of what has happened stateside for the food-insecure during a crisis is rationing. In World War II people were encouraged to grow gardens and can their own vegetables since there was a shortage of food being produced. According to the National Women’s History Museum:
Under the food rationing system, everyone, including men, women, and children, was issued their own ration books. Rationed foods were categorized as either needing red or blue points. Individuals wishing to purchase foods under the red points scheme, which included meat, fish and dairy, were issued with 64 points to use per month. For blue points goods, including canned and bottled foods, people were given 48 points per person for each month. The OPA [Office of Price Administration] determined the number of points needed for goods based on availability and demand. The points values could be raised or lowered accordingly. Sugar was one of the first and longest items rationed, starting in 1942 and ending in 1947. Other foods rationed included coffee, cheese, and dried and processed foods.
Since 1945, The Food and Agriculture Organization has been tackling world hunger + promoting sustainable agriculture. They are in over 130 countries and are working to create food security for all by developing ways to grow food in a strategic manner.
What's inside the food aid boxes + how is that decided?
In the food basket that WFP provides, you will find some staples such as wheat flour, rice, chickpeas, lentils or another equivalent, vegetable oil that is fortified with vitamin A + D, sugar, and iodized salt. They state that “the size and composition of the food basket is tailored to local preferences, demographic profile, activity levels, climatic conditions, local coping capacity and existing levels of malnutrition and disease. It is designed to meet the nutritional requirements of a population rather than individuals”.
Baskets provide about 2100 calories per person and also include fortified items such as salt, cereals, oils, and other foods to help meet vitamin + mineral requirements. Sometimes supplementary rations are given which also have more fortified foods that are precooked and blended with micronutrients. These kinds of rations are usually given to nursing women or children to stave off malnourishment.
How do international crises in general impact food systems?
Unfortunately, in times of turmoil food systems are usually one of the first areas that are impacted the hardest. Disruption to a particular food system could affect large-scale farming, create hikes in pricing, problematic product transportation, and perpetuate more unstabilized commercial markets. All of these create a broken system that prolongs food insecurity.
When catastrophes (whether man-made or environmental) occur it can also affect ingredients that are region-specific. For example, Aleppo peppers which are grown in the Aleppo region of Syria are exceptionally hard to come by if at all. The same can be said for saffron threads that are grown in Afghanistan. When a country or region suffers strife their agriculture suffers too. For the European Union, this can cause major problems since Ukraine is their second-largest supplier of grain (corn and wheat specifically).
What now?
I think the answer depends from person to person. Some of us feel helpless as we watch others suffer, but there are ways to help.
Folks who have the financial means can donate money to organizations. If you want to see where your money goes specifically check out the website of where you will be donating. Most reputable non-profits have a breakdown of where your money is spent. Here are some donation links:
You can volunteer for food + clothing drives that will help those abroad (+ locally) in need.
Spreading information on social feeds of where to donate and how even if you personally cannot is helpful and still very much needed.
If you can’t do anything above you can always be a well-informed person. Knowledge of the world and what’s happening in places that don’t get as much attention or media coverage as Ukraine is key to hopefully a much more socially aware world.
Newsletter News: Free Monday newsletters will now be released on Tuesdays going forward! I’m shaking things up here 🙃.
Cook. Eat. Repeat.
Natalie 💗✨
Super interesting and informative!