A recent report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has highlighted the ongoing global crisis of hunger, with one in eleven people, or approximately 733 million individuals, facing hunger in 2023. This figure includes one in five people in Africa, demonstrating the severity of the issue on the continent. The report indicates that progress towards eradicating hunger by 2030 is far from being achieved, with levels of undernourishment now comparable to those seen over a decade ago.
The Chief Economist of FAO, Maximo Torero, emphasized that between 713 million and 757 million people worldwide are suffering from chronic malnutrition and hunger. Regional trends vary, with hunger increasing in Africa and Latin America, while remaining stable in Asia. The report attributes the worsening food insecurity and malnutrition to a combination of factors including food price inflation, conflict, climate change, and economic downturns.
If current trends persist, the report warns that approximately 582 million people will be chronically malnourished by 2030, with half of them residing in Africa. Access to adequate and affordable food remains a challenge for billions of people globally, with around 2.33 billion individuals facing moderate or severe food insecurity in 2023. Additionally, lack of access to healthy diets affects more than a third of the world’s population.
The report underscores the urgency of addressing these issues through targeted interventions and improved social protection programs, especially in regions like Africa where institutional capacity remains a barrier to effectively combating hunger. The international community is called upon to prioritize efforts to ensure food security for all and work towards achieving the goal of eradicating hunger by 2030.
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