The world’s ambition to eliminate global hunger by 2030 appears increasingly elusive. A United Nations report released on Wednesday reveals that the number of people suffering from chronic hunger has remained virtually unchanged over the past year. This grim reality paints a stark picture of the challenges we face in addressing this pressing issue.
The annual State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report indicates that approximately 733 million people faced hunger in 2023—a staggering one in eleven individuals globally and one in five in Africa. The report attributes this persistent hunger to a confluence of factors, including conflict, climate change, and economic crises. David Laborde, director of the division within the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) that helps compile the survey, expressed concern that despite progress in some regions, the overall situation has deteriorated. He emphasized that the challenges we face today, such as climate change and regional wars, have become more severe than anticipated even a decade ago.
The report paints a bleak future, warning that if current trends persist, about 582 million people will be chronically undernourished by the end of the decade, with Africa bearing the brunt of this crisis, accounting for half of the affected population. The report further reveals that the broader objective of ensuring regular access to adequate food has also stagnated over the past three years. In 2023, a concerning 29% of the global population, or 2.33 billion people, experienced moderate or severe food insecurity.
The report underscores the stark inequalities that permeate the global food system. A staggering 71.5% of individuals in low-income countries could not afford a healthy diet last year, a stark contrast to the mere 6.3% in high-income countries. While famines are readily visible, poor nutrition poses a more insidious threat, leaving lasting scars on individuals throughout their lives. It stunts the physical and mental development of babies and children, and renders adults more susceptible to infections and illnesses.
Laborde emphasized the need for increased international aid dedicated to food security and nutrition. He pointed out that current aid amounts to $76 billion annually, representing a mere 0.07% of the world’s total annual economic output. “I think we can do better to deliver this promise about living on a planet where no one is hungry,” he stated.
The report highlights significant regional variations. While hunger continues to rise in Africa, where population growth, widespread wars, and climate upheaval exert immense pressure, Asia has experienced little change, and Latin America has shown improvement. Maximo Torero, FAO’s chief economist, attributed this positive trend in South America to well-developed social protection programs that effectively target interventions to combat hunger. “In the case of Africa, we have not observed that,” he noted.
The United Nations emphasizes the need for a transformative approach to financing the fight against hunger. They advocate for greater flexibility to ensure that the countries most in need receive the necessary support. Laborde stressed the importance of coordination and focus: “We need to change how we do things to be better coordinated, to accept that not everyone should try to do everything but really be much more focused on what we are doing and where.” The report, compiled by a consortium of UN agencies including the Rome-based FAO, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and the World Food Programme, serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for global action to address the escalating hunger crisis.
