Trócaire CEO Caoimhe de Barra has said that a "hunger pandemic" will be faced by low income countries in 2022. Ms de Barra was speaking after she thanked the Irish people for their generosity to this year's appeal, but warned that humanitarian needs are set to escalate due to the compounding impacts of Covid-19, climate change and conflict which may damage food security. "Across Trócaire programmes in 20 countries we are witnessing and responding to the devastating triple impact of Covid, climate change and conflict. "Due to Covid lockdown measures people have not been able to travel to markets to sell their goods, go in search of daily labour to earn their living, or plant crops.