RIO DE JANEIRO, July 27, 2024: A new report launched recently by five United Nations agencies reveals that around 733 million people faced hunger in 2023, equivalent to one in eleven people globally and one in five in Africa.
The report, launched during the G20 Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty Task Force Ministerial Meeting in Brazil, warns that the world is falling significantly short of achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, Zero Hunger, by 2030.
The report shows that global hunger levels have plateaued for three consecutive years, with between 713 and 757 million people undernourished in 2023 – approximately 152 million more than in 2019. Regional trends vary significantly, with hunger increasing in Western Asia, the Caribbean, and most African subregions.
The report highlights that access to adequate food remains elusive for billions, with around 2.33 billion people globally facing moderate or severe food insecurity. The lack of economic access to healthy diets also remains a critical issue, affecting over one-third of the global population.
The UN agencies call for increased and more cost-effective financing to end hunger, food insecurity, and all forms of malnutrition. They emphasize that achieving SDG 2 requires a multi-faceted approach, including transforming and strengthening agrifood systems, addressing inequalities, and ensuring affordable and accessible healthy diets for all.