The head of the World Food Program (WFP) believes that 2021 could see “famines of biblical proportions” as the economic struggles of COVID-19 may hamper global responses to food shortages caused by military conflicts, the rise of Islamic extremism and locust infestations.

In an interview with the Christian Post WFP Executive Director David Beasley expressed concern for the funding problems that could be in store for 2021. Despite receiving historic levels of funding and leading the food-assistance branch of the United Nations to a Nobel Peace Prize since he took the helm in April 2017, the 63-year-old Beasley warned the fiscal realities of the COVID-19 pandemic could lead to a decrease in funding at a time when as many as 270 million could be pushed to the brink of starvation. “I think it could be much bigger depending on how you define biblical proportions,” Beasley said. “2021 is going to be catastrophic unless we receive extraordinary financial support. I made a comment in late 2019 that 2020 was going to be the worst humanitarian year since World War II. Then before 2020 hit, desert locusts came on top of that, and then COVID came into the scene.” “If we did not get the support we needed and certain international actions were not taken, there would be famines of biblical proportions, destabilization and migration,” he added. “The international community responded significantly in 2020. We were able to avert famine last year.” The director stressed that the problem for 2021 lies in the fact that government budgets for 2020 were largely set in 2019 based on strong economic indicators before the pandemic hit.

A major driver of hunger in 2020 was a record infestation of crop-destroying locusts across several countries in East Africa and the Middle East. “New locust swarms are already forming and threatening to re-invade northern Kenya” while “breeding is also underway on both sides of the Red Sea, posing a new threat to Eritrea, Saudi Arabia, the Sudan, and Yemen.” “There is a lot of work to be done.” Beasley said of the WFP’s locust response. “The locust issue is not resolved and they are now on the move.”

Jesus Foretells “End Times” Wars, Famines and Persecution
“Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences.” Luke 21:10-11