With an estimated 600 million cases of foodborne illnesses annually, unsafe food is a threat to human health and economies, disproportionately affecting vulnerable and marginalized people, especially women and children, populations affected by conflict and migrants. An estimated 420 000 people around the world die every year after eating contaminated food and children under 5 years of age carry 40% of the foodborne disease burden, with 125 000 deaths every year.

Safe food is a public health priority but it is also key to ensuring food supplies.

The COVID -19 pandemic and the Russian war against Ukraine make all too evident the crucial importance of having safe food universally accessible and affordable. Even before the war on Ukraine, the Global Report on Food Security (GNAFC) highlighted that 193 million in 53 countries were facing acute food insecurity. Countries that have been struggling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic now face further challenges related with food and nutrition security.

The EU has taken decisive action to address current humanitarian needs, tackling food and nutrition security by actively supporting the comprehensive international response led by the United Nations through its Global Crisis Response Group. The EU is committed to tackling the global food security response in the multilateral system and works closely with the UN, the G7 and other international partners.

Through a Team Europe approach, the EU is mobilising additional financial support from the EU and Member States to increase the effectiveness and impact of its response. And it has already identified an overall contribution of over EUR 5 billion in humanitarian and development assistance for global food security covering the period 2021-2024.