2% of Elon Musk\`s wealth could solve world hunger

A small group of ultra-wealthy individuals could help solve world hunger with just a fraction of their net worth_ says the director of the United Nations' World Food Programme.

Billionaires need to "step up now_ on a one-time basis"_ said David Beasley in an interview on CNN's Connect the World with Becky Anderson that aired Tuesday -- citing specifically the world's two richest men_ Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk.

"$6 billion to help 42 million people that are literally going to die if we don't reach them. It's not complicated_" he added.

Tesla chief executive Musk has a net worth of nearly $289 billion_ according to Bloomberg_ meaning that Beasley is asking for a donation of just 2% of his fortune. The net worth of US billionaires has almost doubled since the pandemic began_ standing at $5.04 trillion in October_ according to progressive groups Institute for Policy Studies and Americans for Tax Fairness.

A "perfect storm" of several crises_ such as climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic_ mean many nations are "knocking on famine's door_" Beasley said.

Half of the population of Afghanistan -- 22.8 million people -- face an acute hunger crisis_ according to a WFP report released Monday. Rampant unemployment and a liquidity crisis means the country is teetering on the edge of a humanitarian crisis and 3.2 million children under the age of five are at risk_ the report concluded.

A series of new reports from the Biden administration issued a stark warning last week: The effects of climate change will be wide-reaching and will pose problems for every government.

Among the reports_ the administration details how climate change is driving migration_ the first time the US government is officially recognizing the link between climate change and migration. The WFP has warned about this swell of movement in the past_ particularly in the "Dry Corridor" region in Central America.

"For example_ take the United States and the region in Central America_ the Dry Corridor_ Guatemala_ Honduras_ El Salvador and Nicaragua -- just down in that area alone_" said Beasley Tuesday. "We're feeding a lot of people down there and the climate is just changing with hurricanes and flash flooding; it's just devastating."

In Ethiopia_ the WFP estimates that 5.2 million people are in urgent need of food assistance in the Tigray region_ where Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has led a major offensive against the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) since last year. Thousands of civilians have since been killed_ while more than 2 million have been displaced.

Humanitarian organizations like the WFP have struggled to get supplies to those in need in the region_ compounding the crisis.

"I don't know where they're getting the food from_" said Beasley in the wide-ranging interview. "We're out of fuel. We're out of cash_ in terms of paying our people and we are running out of money and we can't get our trucks in."