United Nations agencies estimated in June that 1.7 million of the 22 million population in Sri Lanka needed assistance, according to The Morning newspaper.

A joint statement by UN agencies in Colombo said that 79 million dollars were raised to feed those in need, but the increasing number of poor people meant that 70 million dollars more were needed.

The communiqué stated that Sri Lanka’s food insecurity has dramatically risen due to two consecutive seasons of poor harvests, foreign exchange shortages, and reduced household purchasing power.

Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since its independence from the United Kingdom in 1948 and has been enduring soaring inflation, power outages, and fuel rationing since last year.

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