Despite international commitments to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030, the world is now 15 years behind schedule, with undernourishment rates comparable to those in 2008-2009.
In 2023, approximately 733 million people globally faced hunger, with Africa bearing the brunt of this crisis.
According to the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report, one in five Africans, or 20.4% of the continent's population, were affected by hunger. This alarming data highlights the severe impact of global crises on the African continent.
The SOFI report, published by five United Nations agencies, reveals that global hunger levels have remained stagnant for the past three years.
Despite international commitments to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030, the world is now 15 years behind schedule, with undernourishment rates comparable to those in 2008-2009.
Africa's situation is particularly dire, with hunger increasing across most subregions. Contributing factors include persistent food price inflation, conflicts, climate change, and economic downturns, which collectively erode economic gains and exacerbate food insecurity.
The report also highlights that 58% of Africa's population experienced moderate or severe food insecurity in 2023, with many unable to afford a healthy diet. This is in stark contrast to high-income countries, where only 6.3% face similar issues.
United Nations agencies are calling for urgent, increased financing and innovative solutions to combat this growing crisis.
FAO Director-General QU Dongyu emphasized the need for transforming agrifood systems to build resilience, while IFAD President Alvaro Lario pointed to the importance of investments in rural agriculture.
The report said, “Last year, more than 700 million people, or about 9% of the world's population, were suffering from hunger, up from 7.5% in 2019.
“Of all the world's continents, Africa has the largest proportion of hungry people (20.4%), against 8.41% in Asia, and 6.2% in Latin America and the Caribbean combined.
“Last year, an estimated 300 million people lacked sufficient food in Africa, up from 282 million people in 2022.”