Severe hunger was rising before the war in Ukraine

In mid-2021, the World Food Program estimated that 160 million people worldwide were at food security levels defined by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification as Crisis (level 3), Emergency (Phase 4), or Catastrophe/Famine (Phase 5). Causes included persistent conflict, pre-pandemic and COVID-19 related economic shocks and weather extremes.

Millions of people in food crisis or worse (IPC 3 or above)
Chart: The Conversation, CC BY-ND Source: World Food Program Get the data