There was a time, not long ago, when people talked about ending hunger. The United Nations pledged to make hunger history by 2030.

That plan might have gone up in blood and smoke. The shocks of Covid-19 on supply chainsThe system of connected suppliers and producers that bring a product to consumers. One product might come to us through several sites across the world. Covid-19 infections and restrictions disrupted these chains. and the war in Ukraine have pushed food prices to an all-time high. Yesterday David Malpass, President of the World BankA financial institution that provides loans and grants to developing countries in an effort to reduce poverty. , warned we now face a "human catastrophe".

Things had been getting better: between 2001 and 2017, global undernourishment fell from 13.3% to 8.9%.

But the past few years have seen a dramatic downturn. The UN estimates that 117 million more people were affected by hunger in 2020 than in 2019. Every night, 811 million people sleep hungry. And it is about to get even worse. The bank calculates that food prices could increase by 37%. 

Ukraine and Russia are Europe's breadbaskets. Together, they export almost 30% of the world's wheatWheat is essential for making bread, pasta and many other basic food types. It became a major crop in Russia and Ukraine during the 1980s., almost 20% of all maize and over 80% of sunflower oil. It is estimated that 12% of all calories consumed in the world come from the two nations. 

Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Western sanctions are stalling exports from both countries. This is pushing up the price of wheat exports everywhere. For countries in Africa and the Middle East that rely on European grain, this rise will be devastating.

Some say that this is just a temporary setback. History is full of horrific famines that proved temporary. Droughts in 2006 caused grain prices to rise to a new record, only to fall afterwards.

Science provides one way forward. The UN World Food Programme has suggested that drones could be used to help manage crops better and avoid bad harvests. Other advances are allowing us to create food more efficiently. In Kenya, farmers have been feeding cows more nutritious food, enabling them to produce more milk.

There is more than enough money in the world to solve hunger. Writer Hazel Healy says: "there are now 2,700 billionaires in the world with a combined wealth of £13tn. So, just tax and distribute wealth fairly." The UN estimates that it will take $330bn to end world hunger - a small amount in comparison.

Yet some argue such change will not be so easy. We have the power to end hunger but not the will to act on it. The majority of the world is ruled by autocratsA leader who is not bound by constitutional norms or checked by other sources of political authority, like a parliament or the judicial system. who see their citizens' poverty as a low priority.

Even the free world has hunger issues. FoodbankA charity that distributes food to those in need. They were first established in the US in the 1960s.  chair Muddassar Ahmed says: "Despite the UK being the world's fifth-largest economy, one-fifth of its population... lives in poverty." Over six months last year, food banks handed out 936,000 emergency packets. If rich countries are unwilling to provide food for all, what hope does everyone else have?

All the while, climate change is making things worse. The US is facing the driest weather in 1,200 years, reducing its ability to grow crops. And rising sea levels threaten some of the world's most fertile arableFarmland used for growing crops. The UN estimates that the world contains 1.407 billion hectares of arable land. areas, such as Bangladesh.

Yes: Even with regional shortages and a bad harvest, there is enough food in the world to feed everyone. That fact alone means that hunger can be abolished. We should create the infrastructure to do so now.

No: We have the ability to end world hunger. But we will never have the will. To do so would require people in wealthier countries to make dramatic sacrifices to how we live. Too few are willing.

Or... We may be able to feed the world to a point where no one is dangerously deprived of food. But hunger is relative: some people will always be hungrier than others, even if the base level changes.

Supply chains - The system of connected suppliers and producers that bring a product to consumers. One product might come to us through several sites across the world. Covid-19 infections and restrictions disrupted these chains.

World Bank - A financial institution that provides loans and grants to developing countries in an effort to reduce poverty. 

Wheat - Wheat is essential for making bread, pasta and many other basic food types. It became a major crop in Russia and Ukraine during the 1980s.

Autocrats - A leader who is not bound by constitutional norms or checked by other sources of political authority, like a parliament or the judicial system.

Foodbank - A charity that distributes food to those in need. They were first established in the US in the 1960s. 

Arable - Farmland used for growing crops. The UN estimates that the world contains 1.407 billion hectares of arable land.