Africa: Which Region Has the Highest Prevalence of Hunger?

December 15, 2025 •

3 min read

In 2024, an estimated 307 million people in Africa faced hunger, representing over 20% of the continent's population and making Africa the region with the highest prevalence of hunger globally. The situation contrasts starkly with other areas, where hunger rates are often much lower or even declining. This persistent crisis is a complex issue driven by a combination of factors including conflict, climate change, and economic instability.

Quick Summary

Africa has the highest prevalence of hunger worldwide, a crisis fueled by conflict, climate change, and economic shocks. The issue is most severe in Sub-Saharan Africa, where millions face chronic undernourishment. Addressing this requires tackling poverty, improving agricultural resilience, and providing urgent humanitarian assistance.

Key Points

Africa Leads in Hunger Prevalence: With over 20% of its population affected in 2024, Africa has the highest prevalence of undernourishment globally.
Sub-Saharan Africa is Most Affected: The crisis is most acute in Sub-Saharan Africa, where high rates of hunger persist due to conflict, climate, and poverty.
Conflict is a Major Driver: Violence and instability are primary drivers of food crises.
Climate Change Exacerbates Hunger: Extreme weather events impact agricultural output and livelihoods.
Economic Factors Play a Role: Economic shocks, high food prices, and weak growth compound food insecurity issues.
Addressing Root Causes is Crucial: Long-term solutions require addressing conflict, mitigating climate impacts, fostering economic stability, and promoting equity.

Africa's Disproportionate Burden of Hunger

Recent reports from organizations like the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations consistently show that Africa bears the most significant burden of hunger globally. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) 2025 report reveals that while global hunger rates have decreased slightly in recent years, this positive trend is not universal. Hunger continues to rise in most subregions of Africa and Western Asia. In 2024, approximately 307 million people, or one in five Africans, faced chronic hunger. This figure is alarming not only for its scale but also for the upward trend, which has seen the number of undernourished people in Africa increase by 113 million since 2015.

Sub-Saharan Africa: The Epicenter of the Crisis

Within the continent, the situation is particularly dire in Sub-Saharan Africa. The prevalence of undernourishment in this subregion remains exceptionally high, with some areas faring worse than others.

Prevalence of Undernourishment (2020-2022 Average): Several subregions within Africa show staggeringly high rates of undernourishment. For instance, the prevalence exceeded 45% in countries like the Central African Republic, Lesotho, Madagascar, and Somalia.
Driving Factors: The high rates of hunger are fueled by several interconnected issues, including prolonged conflict, climate extremes, and economic instability. Conflict displaces communities and disrupts food production, while climate change leads to devastating droughts and floods that destroy livelihoods.

Comparison of Regional Hunger Prevalence

A comparison of regional hunger prevalence, with Africa showing a significantly higher rate than other regions, can be found in the {Link: FAO report https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/4eed749b-81f8-49c9-ba32-f09c66988d54/content/state-food-security-and-nutrition-2025/ending-hunger-food-security.html}. Challenges persist in Asia, particularly Western Asia and certain subregions, despite overall improvements. High food prices, economic shocks, and localized crises continue to affect millions. In Southern Asia, while there has been an overall improvement in undernourishment rates, a significant number of people still face food insecurity.

Pockets of Acute Hunger Globally

While Africa stands out in terms of overall prevalence, specific countries and regions worldwide face acute hunger crises, often exacerbated by conflict. As of 2025, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) identified Sudan and the Gaza Strip as experiencing famine. Other hotspots with significant populations facing catastrophic food insecurity include South Sudan, Haiti, and Mali. These crises often require immediate humanitarian intervention to prevent widespread death.

Addressing the Root Causes of Hunger

Ending hunger requires more than just emergency food relief; it necessitates tackling the underlying issues that perpetuate food insecurity. The root causes are deeply interconnected and include:

Conflict and Instability: Violence disrupts supply chains and prevents access to food. Conflict resolution and humanitarian access are crucial.
Climate Change: Extreme weather events impact vulnerable communities dependent on agriculture. Investing in climate-resilient farming and early warning systems is critical.
Economic Shocks and Poverty: Economic issues can push millions into poverty and hunger. Stabilizing economies and creating sustainable livelihoods are essential.
Inequity and Governance: Inequality and weak governance can lead to discriminatory food systems. Promoting equitable access to resources is vital.

The Impact of Poverty on Food Security

Poverty is a fundamental driver of food insecurity in Africa, limiting access to sufficient, nutritious food. It also restricts access to education, healthcare, and clean water. Breaking the cycle of poverty is crucial for achieving long-term food security, requiring sustainable economic opportunities, social safety nets, and equitable resource distribution.

The Role of International Cooperation and Sustainable Practices

Addressing Africa's hunger crisis requires concerted efforts from governments, international organizations, and civil society. Sustainable agricultural practices and investing in infrastructure and market access are vital for increasing food production and building resilience. International aid plays a critical role in providing assistance and supporting development initiatives. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2: Zero Hunger, provide a framework for global action, but progress needs to accelerate, especially in Africa, to meet the 2030 target.

Conclusion

Based on recent data, Africa is the region with the highest prevalence of hunger, particularly in sub-Saharan areas. While global hunger figures have shown slight improvements, this progress has not reached Africa, where challenges like conflict, climate change, and poverty continue to drive high rates of food insecurity. Addressing this crisis demands a comprehensive effort that tackles both immediate needs and long-term, systemic issues. Stronger global action is needed to meet the Sustainable Development Goal of ending hunger by 2030.

Action Against Hunger has extensive resources on the root causes of global hunger.

Frequently Asked Questions

Due to its immense population, Asia contains nearly half of the world's moderately or severely food-insecure people in terms of absolute numbers, although Africa has the highest prevalence rate.

Hunger in Africa is driven by a combination of complex factors, including protracted conflicts, worsening climate shocks, deep-seated poverty, and economic instability.

According to FAO data for 2022, Eastern Africa and Central Africa recorded the highest prevalence of undernourishment within the continent.

While there have been signs of a slight decrease in global hunger rates in recent years after a pandemic-era spike, progress is fragile and uneven, with hunger continuing to rise in most subregions of Africa and Western Asia.

Chronic hunger, or undernourishment, refers to a long-term, continuous lack of sufficient caloric intake. Acute hunger describes a temporary but severe lack of food, often triggered by a crisis or shock.

Hunger is measured using several indicators, including the Prevalence of Undernourishment (PoU) and the Global Hunger Index (GHI), which combines metrics on undernourishment, child stunting, child wasting, and child mortality.

Climate change intensifies extreme weather events like droughts and floods, which destroy crops and livestock, leading to income loss and food shortages, particularly affecting agriculture-dependent populations.

Conflict is a major driver of hunger. It disrupts food production and supply chains, forces people to flee their homes, and impedes humanitarian aid delivery to those most in need.

Yes, organizations like the World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF, and Action Against Hunger provide critical food aid, as well as longer-term development and resilience-building assistance in affected regions.