The projection was contained in the FAO Crop Prospects and Food Situation report released on Thursday.

According to FAO, insecurity and natural disasters are impeding worldwide food production, particularly in 44 countries across Africa, Asia and America.

To this end, the report noted that a good number of the countries need external assistance to augment their food production.

“Conflicts and drought are exacerbating food insecurity conditions in several parts of the world, particularly in East and West Africa, according to the latest Crop Prospects and Food Situation Report, also released today.

“FAO assesses that globally 44 countries, including 33 in Africa, nine in Asia and two in Latin America and the Caribbean, need external assistance for food.

“The 44 countries in need of external assistance for food are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Guinea, Haiti, Iraq, Kenya, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe,” the report stated.

The report also forecasts a slight decrease in cereal production and harvest trends, in 2022, for developing and under-developed food-deficit nations.

“The quarterly report also provides updates on cereal harvest trends, forecasting production in 2022 to grow by 2.0 per cent in developed countries but slightly contracting by 0.1 per cent in developing countries. For Low-Income Food Deficit Countries, the contraction is expected to be 2.4 per cent, due to significant drops foreseen in Near East and East Africa,” the FAO report read.