In a world where annual tomato fights can result in the waste of approximately 330,000 lbs (150,000 kg) of tomatoes, where 2.1 million hectares of forests are cleared each year for cattle ranching, and where some U.S. counties have more livestock than people, it might be hard to imagine that in 2023, about 735 million people world-wide faced hunger. That’s nearly 1 in 11 people globally, and in Africa, closer to 1 in 5.
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 – Zero Hunger – which aims to “end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture” by 2030, is currently behind schedule.
So, where is hunger happening in the world?
Countries Currently Facing Widespread Hunger
At any given time, over 50 countries are grappling with serious levels of acute hunger. The countries highlighted below represent some of the most urgent cases, each driven by a distinct blend of historical, geographic, political, environmental, and other contributing factors.
Hunger in Zimbabwe
A severe drought spanning mid-2023 through mid-2024 has led to widespread crop failure, livestock deaths, and major water shortages. Currently 7.7 million people in Zimbabwe are hungry, struggling to access adequate food and many households are resorting to eating once a day.
Hunger in Palestine
After decades of violence, the ongoing genocide that began in October 2023 has severely disrupted food systems and humanitarian aid, resulting in widespread hunger among civilians. Over 90 percent of Palestinians face acute levels of food insecurity.
Famine in Sudan
Since April 2023, Sudan has been ravaged by an ongoing civil war that has displaced millions, destroyed infrastructure and trade routes. In 10 areas in Sudan, famine, the most extreme form of food insecurity, has been confirmed, while an additional 17 areas are at risk.
Food Insecurity in Ukraine
Ukraine’s ongoing war with Russia, which began in February 2022, has led to significant food insecurity, as farmlands have been destroyed and food production weakened. Five million Ukrainians are in need of food assistance.
Food Insecurity in the United States
While not experiencing armed conflict or food shortages, tens of millions in the U.S. face food insecurity due to poverty, systemic racism, high living costs, food waste, and inequality. In 2023, more than 47 million Americans experienced food insecurity – that’s 1 in 7 households.
Food Insecurity in the Philippines
Ranked as the most disaster-prone country in the world, the Philippines faces food insecurity due to climate shocks, poverty, and regional conflict. As of this year 27 percent of children under 5 suffer from stunting.
Hunger Crisis by Country
Global hunger statistics can help us understand the scale of the crisis but often mask the complex, localized realities behind the numbers. Hunger doesn’t look the same everywhere; it can be driven by war in one place, drought in another, or poverty and inequality elsewhere. Often, it’s even a mix of several factors. Each country, and even regions within countries, has its own story shaped by unique political, environmental and social factors. To truly understand the hunger crisis, we need to understand what’s happening within communities, where both the causes and the solutions are deeply rooted in local context.
Image credits: SDG 2 – Zero Hunger (United Nations, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons); Palestinian boy carrying UNRWA flour (Long-standing support to UNRWA’s work by Fadwa Baroud from EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0); Sudanese children in a refugee camp in Ethiopia eating a meal of U.S. Corn-Soy Blend Plus (Sudanese refugee children enjoying mealtime by Fitsum Aregawi/USAID from USAID U.S. Agency for International Development is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0)