2013 Global Hunger Index Ethiopia still ranks 71st out of 78 countries for severe hunger in the 2013 Global Hunger Index

In 2012 Tropical Storm Isaac and Hurricane Sandy battered Haiti, damaging harvests, swelling rivers, flooding roads, and blocking access to communities. As food prices rose and debts mounted, poor Haitians took extreme measures. Some migrated. Others made ends meet by eating fewer meals per day and selling off their land or livestock. Every summer, Haitians fear nature’s wrath.

Whether it’s storms like these, or a drought, like the one in 2012 that left 18 million people in the Sahel hungry, other extreme weather, surging food prices, or prolonged political unrest, crises or shocks continue to buffet the poor and most vulnerable. All too often, those who are unable to cope find themselves more deeply entrenched in poverty, facing malnutrition and hunger.

It has become clear that it is not enough to help the poor and vulnerable survive short-term shocks. Because they are among those hit hardest by shocks and least able to cope, the constant exposure to manmade or natural shocks means they find it hard to improve their lot. Poor and vulnerable populations need more resilience, and a vital part of building resilience involves boosting food and nutrition security. Given that access to enough healthy food is a basic human right, it is critical that governments and nongovernmental and international organizations take steps to build resilience in a way that increases their food and nutrition security.