The latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report, published by five United Nations specialized agencies, highlights that approximately 733 million people experienced hunger in 2023. This figure equates to one in eleven people globally and one in five in Africa, underscoring the severe and hard challenge of food insecurity worldwide.
Setback in the Fight Against Hunger
The 2023 SOFI report, launched during the G20 Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty Task Force Ministerial Meeting in Brazil, delivers a warning: the world is drastically off track in achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, Zero Hunger, by 2030. According to the report, global levels of undernourishment have regressed to those seen 15 years ago, comparable to the 2008-2009 period.
Despite some advancements in areas like stunting and exclusive breastfeeding, global hunger levels have stagnated for three consecutive years. Between 713 and 757 million people were undernourished in 2023, a significant increase of 152 million from 2019.
Regional Disparities in Hunger
The report highlights significant regional differences in hunger prevalence.
- In Africa, 20.4 percent of the population faces hunger, marking a worrying increase.
- Asia, despite its lower percentage of 8.1 percent, remains home to over half of the world's hungry people.
- Latin America has shown some progress, with a hunger rate of 6.2 percent.
However, regions like Western Asia, the Caribbean, and most African subregions have seen an increase in hunger from 2022 to 2023.
Future Projections and Current Challenges
If current trends runs, about 582 million people are projected to be undernourished by 2030, with half of these individuals residing in Africa. This projection closely mirrors the levels observed in 2015, signaling a concern in progress.
In 2023, around 2.33 billion people globally experienced moderate or severe food insecurity, with over 864 million facing severe food insecurity—going without food for entire days. These numbers have remained high since the sharp increase in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Economic access to healthy diets continues to be a critical issue, affecting over one-third of the global population. In 2022, over 2.8 billion people were unable to afford a healthy diet, with low-income countries being the hardest hit. Here, 71.5 percent of the population could not afford a healthy diet, compared to just 6.3 percent in high-income countries.
Malnutrition and Obesity: A Double Burden
The report also focus light on the dual challenges of malnutrition and obesity. While global child stunting rates have decreased to 22.3 percent, they still fall short of targets. Moreover, the prevalence of wasting among children has not improved significantly, and anemia in women aged 15 to 49 has increased.
Adult obesity has seen a steady rise over the last decade, from 12.1 percent in 2012 to 15.8 percent in 2022, with projections indicating over 1.2 billion obese adults by 2030. This increase in obesity, alongside persistent undernutrition, represents a double burden of malnutrition globally.
Urgent Need for Action and Financing
The theme of this year’s report, "Financing to end hunger, food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition," emphasizes the need for a quality approach. This includes transforming agrifood systems, addressing inequalities, and ensuring affordable, healthy diets for all. The report calls for increased and more cost-effective financing to achieve these goals, highlighting the necessity of innovative financing methods.
The heads of the five UN agencies involved—FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP, and WHO—stress the importance of mobilizing resources and political will to end hunger and malnutrition. They urge global leaders, especially those in the G20, to prioritize ambitious actions against hunger and poverty.
Read more: UN Projects World Population to Peak Within This Century.
Conclusion
The SOFI report is a critical reminder of the urgent need for concerted global efforts to combat hunger and malnutrition. With only six years remaining to achieve the SDGs, the call to action is clear: innovate, invest, and collaborate to ensure a world where no one goes hungry.
Read more: Developing Nations Face Hurdles in Escaping 'Middle-Income Trap', Says World Bank.
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