While food security has improved in some parts of the world, the hunger crisis in Africa is deepening, putting millions of lives at risk. Driven by conflict, extreme weather, and economic instability, this crisis is having especially devastating impacts on women and children, who are bearing the brunt of malnutrition and displacement.

Africa’s hunger crisis: Facts, FAQs, and how to help

• Fast facts: Africa hunger crisis
• What are the main causes of hunger in Africa?
• What is famine, and how is it defined and declared?
• How are women and children affected by hunger?
• World Vision’s response to hunger and food insecurity in Africa
• How does World Vision support resiliency and self-sufficiency in communities?
• How can I help children and families impacted by the hunger crisis?

Fast facts: Africa hunger crisis

• 1 in 5 people in Africa faced hunger in 2023 — a striking contrast to the global figure of 1 in 11 — according to the most recent available data.
• By 2030, a projected 582 million people will be chronically undernourished, more than half of them in Africa.
• In 2024, Mali, South Sudan, and Sudan are among the four countries most affected by catastrophic levels of food insecurity, which impact 1.9 million people globally.
• Famine conditions have been officially confirmed in northern Sudan’s Zamzam camp — home to more than 400,000 displaced people.
• Across West and Central Africa, 49.5 million people were expected to face acute food insecurity between June and August 2024 — a 4% increase from 2023.

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What are the main causes of hunger in Africa?

Regional and global conflicts, extreme weather events, and poverty have collectively driven instability and hunger in Africa.

Even when families have the means to buy food, extreme weather, such as droughts and floods, can wipe out crops and limit farmers’ ability to raise livestock, which leads to food shortages.

Conflict can make it too dangerous for people to leave their homes to access markets for food or earn an income, while also disrupting the flow of food and humanitarian aid.

While poverty limits families’ abilities to afford food, it is also these broader disruptions in food production and distribution that can drive acute hunger.

The lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, on supply chains and livelihoods, have further exacerbated existing vulnerabilities.

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What is famine, and how is it defined and declared?

Famine, characterized by “extreme scarcity of food,” is the absolute worst-case scenario for a food crisis in humanitarian terms. It is defined by specific technical criteria, indicating large-scale starvation, malnutrition, and death.

Criteria for declaring a famine

A food crisis transitions into a famine when specific conditions are met:

• Household food shortages: At least 20% of households in a given area face extreme food shortages and struggle to cope.
• Child malnutrition: More than 30% of children suffer from acute malnutrition.
• Mortality rate: Hunger leads to more than two deaths each day for every 10,000 people.

When a food crisis no longer meets these technical criteria, a famine is over, at least temporarily.

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How are women and children affected by hunger?

Hunger can have devastating consequences for women and children, going beyond health and nutrition to include the risk of violence and sexual exploitation and abuse. The lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated these concerns for children and communities who lack safety nets. Additionally, women and children are often disproportionately displaced by conflict, which in turn puts them at greater risk of malnutrition.

For 20-year-old Tahani, these risks became reality. Fleeing conflict in Sudan in June 2023, the mother and a relative carried her twins, Adam and Adeeb (pictured below), across the border to Chad. “I faced shooting and people killing people on the road when I started coming,” she says. “Houses and villages were on fire.” Eventually Tahani and her boys settled in a refugee camp in Chad, but within less than a year, the 21-month-old boys were severely malnourished. Adam weighed only 13 pounds.

Thankfully, the twins were able to receive treatment at a nutrition and rehabilitation center run by the International Rescue Committee. Within a few months, the boys’ condition had improved — and they were smiling in their mother’s arms.

After we first shared the twins’ story, many World Vision donors generously gave to support the clinic and help expand its capacity with a water system and electricity.

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World Vision’s response to hunger and food insecurity in Africa

World Vision is actively addressing the hunger crisis through:

• Food assistance: Delivering emergency food supplies and cash vouchers to affected families
• Nutrition programs: Diagnosing and treating malnutrition, especially among mothers and children
• Water and sanitation: Helping ensure lasting access to clean water, improving sanitation to prevent water-related diseases, and supporting crop irrigation
• Agricultural support: Offering training in improved agricultural techniques to support farmers in diversifying livelihoods, and rehabilitating land to improve harvests

We thank God for the progress made as we’ve responded to the hunger crisis in Africa and around the world. From March 2021 to August 2024, we reached 38.4 million people in 31 of the most affected countries with critical food and aid in response to the global hunger crisis. This effort was made possible by the support of our donors worldwide.

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How does World Vision support resiliency and self-sufficiency in communities?

While lifesaving aid is crucial in an emergency, World Vision also prioritizes long-term solutions that build resilience and empower communities to recover from crises independently.

One key aspect of World Vision’s work is livelihood skills training, which equips families with tools they need to navigate a food crisis on their own. Here’s how World Vision is working today to prevent future food and hunger crises:

• Supporting farmers and pastoralists through market development initiatives, livestock immunizations, and training in drought-resistant crop cultivation
• Providing cash aid to help families rebuild and stimulate local economies
• Establishing saving groups and community banks, and offering financial literacy training to assist members in recovering from emergencies and preparing for future shocks
• Installing and repairing water and sanitation facilities to promote health and crop growth
• Offering business training, equipment, and materials to help families diversify their incomes and safeguard their assets from adverse weather conditions
• Providing educational support for children, enabling them to stay in school and acquire skills for a resilient future.

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How can I help children and families impacted by the hunger crisis?

• Pray: Join us in praying for children and families facing hunger. Pray that they gain access to food and care and the support they need to be equipped for long-term resilience.
• Give: Your gift will help provide support such as emergency food aid, agricultural training, access to clean water, healthcare, and more to vulnerable children and families.
• Sponsor a child: Sponsorship makes a lasting impact as you help equip children, families, and communities with access to lifesaving essentials like nutritious food, healthcare, clean water, quality education, and spiritual nurture.

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Today, an estimated 757 million people — about 1 in 11 worldwide — are facing hunger. In Africa, that figure rises to 1 in 5 people, according to the U.N. agencies’ The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2024 report. Despite global efforts to stop the spread of hunger, progress has stalled, leaving millions of children at risk of malnutrition and preventable diseases. On this World Food Day, October 16, 2025, we are reminded that every child deserves the chance to grow, learn, and thrive.

Where hunger hits hardest

Explore the key questions and critical facts to better understand the causes and impact of the hunger crisis.

• Why is hunger on the rise?
• Regions most affected by hunger
• The world is falling behind on ending hunger by 2030
• How World Vision tackles hunger
• How you can help end world hunger

Why is hunger on the rise?

A combination of crises is setting back decades of progress against hunger:

• Conflict: Wars and instability have displaced millions, cutting off access to food and livelihoods.
• Economic shocks: Rising food prices and job losses have made it harder for families to afford daily meals.
• Climate shocks: Droughts, floods, and extreme weather continue to devastate crops and livestock, driving communities into crisis.

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Regions most affected by hunger

Some of the hardest-hit regions where hunger is growing at alarming rates include:

• Middle Africa: 31.8% of the population is undernourished.
• East Africa: 28.1% face hunger daily.
• Western Africa: 18.7% struggle with food insecurity.
• Caribbean: 16.1% are affected by severe hunger.
• Southern Asia: 15.8% face malnutrition risks.

Haiti, Mali, South Sudan, Sudan, and parts of the Middle East region are experiencing catastrophic hunger levels, driven by conflict and economic collapse. Famine conditions have been confirmed in a displacement camp in North Darfur, Sudan, that shelters an estimated 400,000 people.

Learn more about Africa’s hunger crisis and what World Vision is doing to help hungry children and families.

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The world is falling behind on ending hunger by 2030

In 2015, world leaders gathered to end hunger by 2030 as part of the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Among these goals is the commitment to eradicate hunger and malnutrition —  ensuring those living in poverty and vulnerable situations have access to sufficient and nutritious food year-round.

However, current efforts and progress aren’t enough. At the current rate, 582 million people will still be hungry by the end of this decade.

Among the many people impacted by extreme hunger are 20-year-old Tahani and her children. When conflict forced her to flee Sudan, Tahani and a relative carried her twins, Adam and Adeeb (pictured above), across the border to Chad in search of refuge. “I faced shooting and people killing people on the road when I started coming,” she said. “Houses and villages were on fire.” When our staff met the family at a nutrition and rehabilitation center in May 2024, the boys were 21 months old and severely malnourished. Adam weighed only 13 pounds.

At the nutrition and rehabilitation center, the twins accessed lifesaving care. World Vision has since helped upgrade the center with a new water system and electricity, improving the center’s ability to treat malnutrition cases. By September 2024, the twins were no longer in a critical state of malnutrition. Now, they’re recovering and smiling in their mother’s arms.

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How World Vision tackles hunger

World Vision is tackling hunger by making sure families have access to nutritious food and sustainable livelihoods. With the support from generous donors and partnerships, we empower communities to break the cycle of hunger and malnutrition. Much of this work is made possible by child sponsorships, as well as government and private grants. We believe by eliminating poverty, we can end hunger, too.

During disasters and food crises, World Vision delivers lifesaving food aid to help people survive their hardest days. We don’t stop there. When the situation improves, we support communities in rebuilding and strengthening their ability to provide food for themselves and their families.

Over the last 15 years, 88% of the severely malnourished children we treated made a full recovery.

Since many people in developing countries earn a living by farming small plots of land, our programs give them access to agricultural tools — like hardy, drought-resistant seeds — and provide training in crop diversity and rotation techniques, livestock farming, and water retention and irrigation. These improvements help families boost long-term food production and benefit the land by minimizing soil erosion and water loss.

We also help local farm groups join together to store and market their crops. They take advantage of pricing and discounts and eliminate middlemen and product loss.

In addition, our staff teach mothers and fathers about proper nutrition with locally available foods and new preparation techniques, so children are better nourished. Loans and business training help individuals bring their business ideas — such as owning a small store or making furniture — to life, so they can increase their income and thrive.

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How you can help end world hunger

• Pray for children and families affected by chronic hunger, which has devastating long-term effects. Pray that nutritious food will be readily available for hungry families in these communities and that they can afford to buy or raise it.
• Sponsor a child today.  Sponsorship is the most powerful way you can fight poverty. When you sponsor a child, you help their family and community gain sustainable access to basics like nutritious food, healthcare, clean water, education, and more. You’ll help change the life of your sponsored child, their family, and their entire community.
• Help provide lifesaving food and care. Your gift will help hungry children and families worldwide get access to essentials like emergency food, agricultural tools and training, clean water, medicines, and more.

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In a world where up to 757 million people — 1 in 11 worldwide — face chronic hunger, understanding the scale and causes of this crisis is more important than ever. Driven by conflict, extreme weather events, and economic shocks, global hunger and food insecurity have reached critical levels. This World Food Day, observed on October 16, 2025, we reflect on these challenges and the urgent need to act together to ensure that everyone has enough to eat.

Here are seven key facts about global hunger and food insecurity.

1. Food insecurity is rising at an alarming rate. Nearly 282 million people in 59 countries experienced high levels of acute food insecurity in 2023, according to the World Food Programme (WFP). This means they required urgent food and livelihood assistance. This marks an increase of 24 million people since 2022, highlighting the intensifying hunger crisis.

Acute food insecurity refers to situations where people face food deprivation that puts their lives or livelihoods at immediate risk.

2. Hunger is driven by multiple factors. The main drivers of global hunger and food insecurity include conflict, displacement, extreme weather events like droughts and floods, and economic strains. In places like Haiti, the Middle East, and Sudan, conflict has disrupted food production and distribution, worsening conditions and leading to acute hunger situations.

3. Food insecurity forces families into distressing choices. When families lack enough to eat or money to buy food, they are often pushed into difficult and dangerous decisions that jeopardize their children’s well-being and put them at risk of violence. In desperate search of food, some families may resort to harmful coping mechanisms, such as putting children at risk of child marriage, child labor, and family separation.

4. Forty-five million children are dangerously malnourished. Worldwide, 45 million children suffer from wasting, the deadliest form of acute malnutrition, which is a life-threatening condition. Each year, over 1 million children die from related causes of severe acute malnutrition. In addition, over 148 million children under 5 are stunted, meaning their physical growth and cognitive development are severely impaired due to long-term nutrient deficiencies.

5. Displacement worsens food insecurity, hunger, and malnutrition. People fleeing conflict, disasters, or poverty often lose access to food, clean water, and healthcare. The number of forcibly displaced people, including refugees and those internally displaced, reached 122.6 million as of mid-2024.

6. World Vision is responding to the hunger crisis. 

World Vision remains steadfast in its commitment to help end hunger, and we thank God for the progress made and the ways we have been able to adapt our programs to respond to current realities.

• From March 2021 to August 2024, we reached over 38.4 million people across 31 countries with lifesaving food and aid in response to the global hunger crisis.
• Over the last 15 years, 88% of the severely malnourished children we treated made a full recovery.
• With 75 years of humanitarian experience, World Vision is a leader in the global hunger response.
• As the WFP’s largest implementing partner, we deliver immediate food aid during emergencies and work alongside communities to build long-term food security.

“We’re happy because with food, children learn,” says Abdulrashid, director of a school in Farchana camp.

7. You can help end world hunger.

Whether through prayer, giving, or child sponsorship, your partnership makes a powerful difference.

• Pray: Join us in praying for peace in conflict zones and comfort for children, their families, and their communities facing hunger and poverty around the world. Pray for protection, provision, and strength to rebuild.
• Give: Your gift will help deliver support like emergency food aid, access to clean water, and lifesaving care where it’s most needed.
• Sponsor a child today. Sponsorship makes a lasting impact, equipping communities to meet needs like nutritious food, healthcare, access to clean water, education, and more.