A severe food crisis is intensifying across Africa, driving millions of people into a heightened risk of hunger and starvation. Fueled by a combination of factors, including the war in Ukraine, regional conflicts, extreme weather events, and the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, hunger threatens the lives and well-being of vulnerable communities and people, particularly women and girls.
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?
- How is World Vision responding to the hunger crisis?
- 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.
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 a families’ abilities to afford food, it is often 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.
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.
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 gender-based violence and sexual exploitation and abuse. The indirect impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are exacerbating these concerns for children and communities who lack safety nets.
How is World Vision responding to the hunger crisis?
World Vision remains steadfast in its commitment to serving families experiencing hunger in Africa and around the world. We thank God for the progress that has been achieved as we’ve worked to adapt our programs to current realities.
As of September 2023, we had reached over 25.4 million people, including 14 million children, across 28 countries — including 18 countries in Africa — in our response to the hunger crisis. From October to December 2023 alone, we supported an additional 4.1 million people globally with life-saving food assistance.
For more than 40 years, World Vision has been delivering emergency aid and long-term assistance to families and communities affected by food crises in Africa. Here are some of the ways we help to overcome the root causes of hunger and malnutrition:
- Delivering food assistance, including emergency feeding and cash vouchers
- Diagnosing and treating maternal and child malnutrition
- Ensuring lasting access to clean water and improving sanitation to prevent water-related diseases and support crop irrigation
- Offering training in improved agriculture techniques to support farmers in diversifying livelihoods
- Rehabilitating land to improve harvests
How does World Vision support resiliency and self-sufficiency in communities?
While life-saving 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
How can I help children and families impacted by the hunger crisis?
- Pray: Join us in praying for children and families affected by the hunger crisis in Africa and around the world.
- 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 life-saving essentials like nutritious food, healthcare, clean water, quality education, and spiritual nurture.
