More than 260 non-governmental organisations signed an open letter on Tuesday calling on governments to donate $5.5 billion to prevent famine in 2021.

The sum has been called for by the United Nations' World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization.

"We call on you to provide the additional $5.5 billion needed for urgent food assistance to reach more than 34 million girls, boys, women and men around the globe who are a step away from famine. This assistance must begin immediately," the open letter said.

The letter was penned by NGOs working with an estimated 270 million people "facing hunger, starvation or famine all over the world".

They include Oxfam, Christian Aid, World Vision, Tearfund, Save the Children and Care International.

"In Yemen, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, DR Congo, Honduras, Venezuela, Nigeria, Haiti, Central African Republic, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Sudan and beyond we help people who are doing all they can to simply get through one more day," the letter said.

"These people are not starving, they are being starved.

"It is human actions that are driving famine and hunger and it is our actions that can stop the worst impacts," the NGOs insisted.

"There is no place for famine and starvation in the 21st century. History will judge us all by the actions we take today."

rjm/nl/lc