Annual Report of Welthungerhilfe for the Year 2024 Revealed
In the face of mounting challenges posed by the climate crisis, wars, and increasing global inequality, the fight against hunger and poverty continues to be a pressing concern. Welthungerhilfe, a leading private aid organisation based in Germany, has been at the forefront of this battle, managing to secure significant funding in 2024 to support its projects.
Last year, Welthungerhilfe received a total of 383.5 million euros, a sum that has seen a rise of 152 million since 2019. This funding came from a variety of sources, with public donors accounting for 50% of the total, approving €291.9 million for Welthungerhilfe's program work. The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development was the second-largest donor, contributing 67.6 million euros, followed closely by the Federal Foreign Office with 60.4 million euros. The World Food Programme was the largest single donor, contributing 71.4 million euros.
Despite these encouraging figures, the global political will and funding status for combating chronic hunger are under significant strain. Major donors such as the US and Germany are making drastic reductions to their development cooperation and humanitarian aid budgets. These cuts, up to 40% by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and other Western governments, are projected to exacerbate hunger, potentially wiping out recent progress and causing sharp rises in people going hungry in 2025.
Marlehn Thieme, Chair of the Board of Welthungerhilfe, emphasises the urgency of the situation. She warns that cuts in aid can lead to human suffering, displacement, or death. Thieme also advocates for political initiatives and diplomatic solutions to end conflicts, stating that investing in weapons does not create security.
Welthungerhilfe strategically focuses on local actors and innovative solutions, aiming to empower people to help themselves sustainably improve their living conditions. Last year, the organisation supported a total of 18.7 million people in 37 countries. Among the countries receiving the highest project funding were South Sudan, Syria/Turkey, and Sudan.
The organisation's efforts are not without challenge. Humanitarian agencies warn that funding shortfalls will lead to tens of millions losing vital aid lifelines, pushing families toward starvation, especially in vulnerable regions like Africa and parts of Asia. For example, the Canadian Foodgrains Bank committed $74.6 million to assist over 1.1 million people in 37 countries for 2024-25, but these efforts face challenges amid broader aid cuts.
In conclusion, while there is recognition of the importance of combating global hunger among governments and organisations, actual political will reflected in funding is declining. Significant budget cuts by major donors threaten to reverse progress made in reducing hunger worldwide, underscoring an urgent need for renewed global solidarity and investment to avoid worsening food insecurity and instability. Eliminating hunger must remain a political priority, according to Thieme.
- Developing innovative solutions and empowering local actors are strategic focuses of Welthungerhilfe in their mission to improve living conditions and combat hunger sustainably.
- Environmental-science and climate-change were not explicitly mentioned as areas of concern for Welthungerhilfe, butglobal challenges such as climate crisis were highlighted.
- Policy-and-legislation, particularly those related to development cooperation and humanitarian aid, have a significant impact on Welthungerhilfe's projects, as cuts in funding can lead to dire consequences such as displacement and death.
- Politics plays a crucial role in the fight against hunger, with political initiatives and diplomatic solutions advocated for in order to end conflicts and secure funding for humanitarian aid.
- General-news reports on the importance of combating global hunger, but recent cuts to development cooperation and humanitarian aid budgets by major donors suggest that there is a declining political will reflected in funding for this cause.
- Crime-and-justice and casino-and-gambling were not directly related to the text, but policy-and-legislation, politics, and funding shortfalls were discussed in the context of a struggle against global issues such as hunger, poverty, and conflict.
