North Korea is experiencing a severe food catastrophe, and Kim Jong Un, the country’s leader, is ostensibly doing something about it. In an attempt to resolve the nation’s food shortage, the supreme leader recently inaugurated a significant political conference devoted to agriculture.

According to South Korean specialists, the pandemic and governmental restrictions on food sales have left North Korea with a grain shortage of approximately 1 million tons. Associated Press reports that the grain accounts for close to 20% of its yearly consumption. Although the food situation in North Korea today is not as dire as it was in the 1990s, some analysts believe it is likely at its worst since Kim came to power in 2011.

During the high-level meeting to achieve “rural revolution in the new era,” senior party officials reviewed the work on state objectives from the previous year. To feed its 25 million citizens, the nation requires 5.5 million tons of grain each year, with a shortage of about 1 million tons for this year. The conference aimed to address this shortage and enhance the nation’s food output.