733 Million People Faced Hunger in 2023, Undermining Progress Toward Zero Hunger

The analysis shows that global hunger levels have stagnated for three consecutive years, with between 713 and 757 million people undernourished in 2023.

According to the latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report released by five United Nations agencies, approximately 733 million people worldwide faced hunger in 2023. This figure represents 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, highlights a significant setback in global efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, Zero Hunger, by 2030.

The analysis shows that global hunger levels have stagnated for three consecutive years, with between 713 and 757 million people undernourished in 2023. This number is approximately 152 million higher than in 2019. Regional disparities are stark: hunger rates continue to rise in Africa (20.4 percent), remain stable but high in Asia (8.1 percent), and show improvement in Latin America (6.2 percent). Notably, hunger has increased in Western Asia, the Caribbean, and many African subregions from 2022 to 2023.

If current trends persist, it is projected that around 582 million people will be chronically undernourished by 2030, with half of them in Africa. This projection mirrors the levels seen in 2015 when the SDGs were adopted, indicating a troubling stagnation in progress.

Beyond hunger, the report reveals broader issues:

Food Insecurity: In 2023, 2.33 billion people faced moderate or severe food insecurity, with over 864 million experiencing severe food insecurity, where they went without food for a full day or more at times. While Latin America shows improvement, challenges remain, especially in Africa, where 58 percent of the population is moderately or severely food insecure.

Economic Access to Healthy Diets: Over 2.8 billion people were unable to afford a healthy diet in 2022, with the most severe disparities in low-income countries. The situation has worsened in Africa, while Asia and Northern America have seen improvements.

Nutritional Challenges: Although exclusive breastfeeding rates have increased to 48 percent, other nutrition targets face difficulties. Low birthweight prevalence stagnates around 15 percent, stunting in children under five is at 22.3 percent, and anemia among women aged 15 to 49 years has increased. Additionally, adult obesity rates have risen from 12.1 percent in 2012 to 15.8 percent in 2022.

The report underscores the complex nature of malnutrition and calls for urgent and targeted interventions. Factors such as rising food prices, conflict, climate change, and economic downturns exacerbate food insecurity and malnutrition.

Financing to End Hunger The report’s theme, “Financing to End Hunger, Food Insecurity and All Forms of Malnutrition,” emphasizes the need for a multi-faceted approach. It calls for increased and more efficient financing, improved agrifood systems, and equitable access to healthy diets.

The UN agency heads—FAO Director-General QU Dongyu, IFAD President Alvaro Lario, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain, and WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus—urge global leaders to prioritize financing and innovative solutions to address hunger and malnutrition. They stress that adequate investment in food security and nutrition is essential not only as a moral obligation but also as a strategic investment in future generations.

As highlighted at the High-Level Political Forum at UN headquarters in New York, bridging the financing gap requires innovative, equitable solutions, particularly for countries severely impacted by hunger and malnutrition. Enhanced coordination, data harmonization, and transparency are crucial to strengthening global food security and nutrition frameworks.