More than 50 million people living in 17 conflict-ridden countries are in "severe food insecurity", two UN agencies warned recently.
The protracted conflicts in Yemen and Syria place those two nations at the top of the list established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and
the World Food Programme (WFP).
In Yemen, 14 million people -- over half the population -- are now considered to be facing a food crisis or emergency.
Meanwhile in Syria, 8.7 million people or 37 percent of the pre-conflict population, "need urgent food, nutrition and livelihoods assistance", in particular aid to farmers, said the agencies.