Nearly 258 million people across 58 countries faced acute food insecurity in 2022, according to the latest edition of the 2023 Global Report on Food Crises. This figure grew by 65 million people compared to the previous year – an alarming 33% increase. Action Against Hunger calls on the global community to take immediate action.
According to the report, hunger has been rising steadily worldwide for four consecutive years- with last year marking the highest number of people suffering from acute hunger and malnutrition in seven years. Climate change, economic instability, and armed conflicts have driven the steep increase.
Of the 258 million people facing food insecurity, more than 40% live in just five countries: Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Yemen.
Additionally, in 30 of the 58 crisis countries studied in the report, more than 35 million children under five suffer from acute malnutrition. Of whom, 9.2 million face severe acute malnutrition, the deadliest form of hunger. Girls and women remain disproportionately affected by hunger.
The data clearly paints a picture of a world grappling with a severe and widespread global hunger crisis.
The ripple effects of the conflict in Ukraine continue to exacerbate the global food crisis, with Ukraine and Russia playing a major role in the production and trade of staple foods such as wheat, maize, and sunflower oil, as well as fuel. The war has severely disrupted agricultural production and trade, impacting countries around the world that depend on food imports to feed their people. Across all the countries surveyed in the report, food prices have risen significantly – by more than 10% in 38 out of 58 countries.
As hunger levels continue to rise, a paradigm shift in how we approach hunger crises is desperately needed. The global community must take decisive action to prevent food crises from escalating into devastating hunger catastrophes. Swift intervention at the earliest signs of a potential threat can save both lives and money. Urgent investments are required to safeguard global food security and prevent hunger from devastating communities around the world.
Read the full report here