A recent report from the U.N. children's agency UNICEF says that 181 million children younger than 5 live in severe food poverty.联合国机构联合国儿童基金会（UNICEF）最近的一份报告称，有1.81亿5岁以下的儿童生活在严重的粮食贫困之中。

That is more than one-fourth of the world's youngest children.这一数字超过了世界上年龄最小儿童数量的四分之一。

The report centered on nearly 100 low- and middle-income countries.该报告集中于近100个低收入和中等收入国家。

The report defines severe food poverty as eating nothing in a day or, at best, two out of eight food groups the agency recognizes.该报告将严重的粮食贫困定义为一天不吃东西，或者最多只吃该机构认可的八种食物中的两种。

Africa's population of more than 1.3 billion people is one of the most affected mainly due to conflict, climate crises and rising food prices.非洲的人口超过13亿，是受冲突、气候危机和粮食价格上涨影响最大的地区之一。

The continent accounts for one-third of those facing hunger and 13 of the 20 most affected countries.非洲大陆上的饥饿人口占全球面临饥饿人口的三分之一，在20个受影响最严重的国家中非洲大陆占13个。

But the report noted some progress.但该报告指出了一些进展。

The percentage of children living in severe food poverty in West and Central Africa fell from 42 percent to 32 percent over the last ten years, it said.该报告称，过去十年，西非和中非生活在严重粮食贫困中的儿童比例从42%下降到32%。

The report noted developments including diversified crops and performance-based rewards for health workers.该报告指出了包括多样化作物和基于绩效的卫生工作者奖励在内的发展。

Without important nutrients, children living with "extremely poor" diets are more likely to experience wasting.如果没有重要的营养物质，饮食“极差”的儿童更有可能消瘦。

Wasting is a life-threatening form of malnutrition, UNICEF said.联合国儿童基金会表示，消瘦是一种危及生命的营养不良形式。

Harriet Torlesse is one of the report's writers.哈丽特·托勒斯是该报告的作者之一。

She told The Associated Press, "When wasting becomes very severe, they are 12 times more likely to die."她告诉美联社：“当消瘦变得非常严重时，儿童死亡的可能性会增加12倍。”

In several Nigerian communities, UNICEF is training thousands of women in how to increase their families' nutrient intake with cassava, sweet potato, maize and vegetables grown in gardens at home.在尼日利亚的几个社区，联合国儿童基金会正在培养数千名妇女如何用自家菜园里种植的木薯、红薯、玉米和蔬菜来增加家庭的营养摄入。

The agency is also helping train them in raising livestock and chickens.该机构还帮助培养她们饲养牲畜和鸡的能力。

Several women recently gathered in a Kaltungo village to learn how to prepare those foods.几名妇女最近聚集在卡尔通戈的一个村庄学习如何准备这些食物。

Even without rain, they can be grown in sand-filled containers that require little water.即使没有下雨，它们也可以在只需要很少水的装满沙子的容器中种植。

Mothers in Nigeria also face the country's worst cost of living crisis.尼日利亚的母亲们还面临着该国最严重的生活成本危机。

Growing food at home saves money.在家种植粮食可以省钱。

Aisha Aliyu is a 36-year-old mother of five.36岁的艾莎·阿利尤是五个孩子的母亲。

She said her youngest child used to be skinny but is growing fatter because of what they now grow at home.她说，她最小的孩子曾经很瘦，但由于现在家里种植的食物，这个孩子长得越来越胖。

Kaltungo is a semi-arid area where climate change has limited rainfall in recent years.卡尔通戈是一个半干旱地区，在那里近年来气候变化导致降雨量有限。

Some children have died of malnutrition in the past because there is little food, said Ladi Abdullahi.拉迪·阿卜杜拉希表示，过去一些儿童因食物匮乏而死于营养不良。

She helps train the women.她帮助培养这些女性的能力。

The Sahel of the Sahara Desert is another arid area that experiences violent extremism.撒哈拉沙漠的萨赫勒地区是另一个经历暴力极端主义的干旱地区。

Malnutrition in the Sahel has reached emergency levels, said Alfred Ejem.阿尔弗雷德·埃杰姆说，萨赫勒地区的营养不良已达到紧急水平。

He is a food security advisor with the Mercy Corps aid group in Africa.他是非洲“慈善团”援助组织的粮食安全顾问。

Ejem added that families have been forced to eat leaves and insects to survive because of displacement and climate change.埃杰姆补充说，由于流离失所和气候变化，一些人家被迫吃树叶和昆虫来生存。

In Nigeria's troubled northwest area, the French medical organization Doctors Without Borders said at least 850 children died last year within 24 to 48 hours of being admitted to its health facilities.在尼日利亚动荡的西北地区，法国医疗组织“无国界医生”称，去年至少有850名儿童在被送往其医疗机构后的24至48小时内死亡。

Many malnourished children in the area never make it to a hospital because they live in rural areas or their families cannot pay for care.该地区许多营养不良的儿童从未去过医院，因为他们生活在农村地区，或者他们的家庭无力支付医疗费。

Inequality also plays a part in severe food poverty among children in Africa, the new report said.这份新报告称，不平等也是造成非洲儿童严重粮食贫困的原因之一。

South Africa is the most unequal country in the world.南非是世界上最不平等的国家。

And about one in every four children is affected by severe food poverty even though it is the continent's most developed nation.尽管是非洲大陆最发达的国家，但该国仍有大约四分之一的儿童受到严重粮食贫困的影响。

"Governments and partners must act urgently," Torlesse said.托勒斯说：“各国政府和合作伙伴必须立即采取行动。”

"The work starts now."“这项工作现在就要启动。”