Minister McNeill’s Address: Transforming Hunger Hotspots into Political Action

Thank you, Sara, and my gratitude extends to ODI Global, Action Against Hunger, and Shabaka for convening us this evening.

Congratulations are also due on the launch of the two reports tonight.

The question posed is indeed crucial: what actions should we take in light of the imminent hunger crisis that is becoming increasingly apparent?

As we stand now, the signs are unmistakable. Emergency levels of food insecurity are alarmingly high in various hotspots, including Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen.

Ongoing conflicts in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea are driving up the costs of fuel and fertilisers globally. Many governments find themselves grappling with substantial debts and constrained resources, rendering their responses limited. The humanitarian system, particularly the World Food Programme, is significantly overstretched.

Moreover, we are witnessing the emergence of a “super” El Niño, which threatens harvests not only in the Horn of Africa but also across the continent and beyond, further straining already vulnerable countries and their economies.

The warning signals are undeniable.

This situation is exacerbated by the severity of the risks and the compounding pressures that will manifest across the globe in various forms in the coming months.

These are not isolated issues, particularly as climate change and ecological stresses intensify, alongside enduring geopolitical tensions and conflicts.

Such compounded challenges necessitate a fundamental re-evaluation of our approaches to preparedness, prevention, and resilience.

This concern is one that occupies my thoughts frequently, and it highlights the areas where our shortcomings as global policymakers are most glaringly exposed.

All too often, food insecurity is framed merely as a humanitarian issue, or, at best, as a developmental challenge.

However, I wish to contend that hunger is fundamentally about power, and like all matters concerning power, it is deeply political.

Food prices influence living standards universally and impact people’s trust in the system’s functionality. They can also affect governmental stability, both here in Europe and across Africa and the Global South.

Thus, this is not solely a matter for me as the Development Minister; it concerns every minister in this new Government, which today marks its 100th day in office.

From the outset, we have been examining how to share power more equitably and how the systems designed to support and protect individuals can operate effectively for all.

This understanding of power will be central to this Labour Government’s approach, especially when addressing food—the very essence of life.

Tonight, I intend to discuss three key points.

Firstly, we must consider food as an integral part of our broader understanding of security.

Secondly, we can only achieve this if we acknowledge the extent of inequality and the power dynamics that manifest through food and hunger—both within and between nations.

Lastly, I will outline what this government is doing in the face of looming global food insecurity risks, and what we must collectively do for both immediate responses and long-term resilience.

Some of you may recall my address at SOAS last month, where I outlined five securities that will guide my work as Development Minister: health security, climate security, human security, economic security, and food security.

This evening, I wish to commence with food security.

I previously stated that these five securities are interconnected, a notion that I trust resonates with everyone here.

Food security is intrinsically linked to climate security, as weather patterns significantly influence global food availability.

It is also tied to health security, given that malnutrition is a major contributor to widespread ill health and ranks among the leading causes of mortality in young children.

Furthermore, it relates to economic security, as rising food prices are often felt most acutely by individuals and can lead to debt, migration, and unrest.

Lastly, it is about human security; hunger is a fundamental humanitarian need, acting as both a cause and a consequence of conflict, and is too frequently employed as a tactic of war.

At SOAS, I articulated my perspective through a security lens, forcing us to contemplate the cross-border risks and shared interests we hold.

Let us apply this perspective to food.

Many of you engage in discussions about food systems precisely because you understand the interconnectedness of a harvest in East Africa, a shipping lane in the Gulf, and a supermarket shelf in the UK.

If we share a system, we also share its risks.

We are reliant on the same harvests, ecosystems, and fertiliser supply chains; we share the necessity to safeguard our soils and waterways, alongside the global trading system.

No nation is insulated from these realities, including our own.

When the Black Sea routes are disrupted or Hormuz experiences instability, both a family in Khartoum and one in my constituency of Midlothian feel the repercussions.

While the impact may differ in intensity, both are subject to the same economic forces, highlighting our interconnectedness.

Conversely, if we share a system, we also share its opportunities.

As agricultural trade has expanded, so has our collective capacity to absorb shocks. Open and predictable markets facilitate the movement of food from surplus areas to those in need, thus maintaining stocked shelves, supporting businesses, and stabilising prices.

This epitomises what a global food system entails. Our interdependence is not a choice; it is how we sustain ourselves and reflects our human connections.

Recently, there has been considerable discourse regarding how we can—and should—all contribute to enhancing our national resilience through preparedness. It is imperative that prevention accompanies preparedness.

This was a central theme of the UK’s Nature Security Assessment.

Its findings were unequivocal: our national resilience is dependent on natural systems extending beyond our borders. Forests, soils, freshwater systems, and oceans play pivotal roles in regulating rainfall, water availability, and agricultural conditions worldwide.

For instance, if the Congo Basin rainforest diminishes, food production suffers across the Sahel.

When these systems are under duress—partly due to agricultural practices—we face declining harvests, intensified competition for food and resources, and escalating prices.

Safeguarding and restoring vital natural ecosystems is not a luxury; it is essential for ensuring our food security and long-term resilience.

This is why I felt compelled to address you tonight. I am seeking your collaboration.

The community gathered here has significantly mobilised awareness over many years regarding hunger as a developmental challenge.

It is precisely because of your effectiveness in research, campaigning, and communication that I wish for us to collaborate in reshaping global perspectives on food security.

Currently, the world produces sufficient food.

Supply remains critical, particularly in many African nations where yields are low and productivity declines due to climate catastrophes, soil erosion, and diminishing water supplies.

Ensuring that global food production transitions to more sustainable practices and adapts in the face of climate change and other pressures is a defining challenge of our generation—a challenge the UK is already addressing through our investments in science and agri-tech.

However, hunger transcends mere supply issues.

It revolves around accessibility to nutritious food, pricing, and the disparities faced by those who go without. It involves identifying which farmers, businesses, and economies can endure the next drought, flood, or price surge.

In essence, hunger is fundamentally a narrative of inequality, both between and within nations.

Countries reliant on food imports and laden with debt face steeper costs and fewer resources for the inputs, technology, and investment that would facilitate progress.

Domestically, the most impoverished households devote a greater proportion of their income to food, a reality evident in Scotland as much as it is in Somalia.

Moreover, while women are often the backbone of global food production, they frequently bear the brunt in times of scarcity, eating the least and last.

Repeatedly, when delving into the issues of food, hunger, and nutrition, we find ourselves confronted with questions of poverty and inequality.

And thus, we arrive at the matter of power.

This is the narrative I seek your assistance in articulating.

Having been born in the 1980s, I recall the straightforward slogan: “feed the world.”

Forty years later, the challenge has grown more intricate, and our discourse and approach to development have appropriately evolved.

However, I wish to candidly express my feelings about our current state regarding hunger.

Rather than feeling disheartened, I feel a profound sense of anger.

Last year, an estimated 645 million individuals faced hunger daily, with a third of the global population unable to afford a healthy diet—two out of three people in Africa alone.

Additionally, 35 million children are acutely malnourished, nearly 10 million of whom face a life-threatening predicament without intervention.

Last year marked a grim milestone, as famine was confirmed in two locations simultaneously, with more regions remaining vulnerable. This occurs in a world capable of producing enough food for all.</