The world is experiencing historic setbacks in the fight against chronic hunger, according to United Nations (UN) estimates. In 2023, 733 million people faced hunger, corresponding to 1 in 11 people globally and 1 in 5 in Africa. At this rate, achieving zero hunger by 2030, a key Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), is almost certainly impossible.
Current hunger indicators have been amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the sluggish return to pre-pandemic levels is concerning. In some regions, pre-pandemic trends were already troubling. In Africa, hunger has been increasing since 2015, with a notable surge in Eastern and Central Africa. Africa also faces the double burden of malnutrition—simultaneous underweight and obesity occurrences—which poses a significant health challenge. No global initiative has successfully curbed these trends.
The number of people unable to afford a healthy diet continues to be an issue as well. The global increase in staple food prices has strained family budgets and health, as locally produced, nutritious foods remain unaffordable for many. From 2019 to 2022, cereal prices rose 60%, dairy prices 45%, and oil prices an astonishing 125%, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
As a result, in low-income countries, 71% of people could not afford a healthy diet in 2022, compared to 6% in high-income countries. The quality of available food is crucial, as alternatives, largely ultra-processed foods (UPFs), pose health and environmental risks, the UN report notes.
Read more: Tackling malnutrition in an era of political uncertainty: the case of Brazil
While existing mechanisms to combat world hunger have largely failed, new initiatives are emerging. Brazil, during its G20 presidency, initiated an alliance to end hunger and poverty. Importantly, the alliance recognizes the need for sound national social protection policies, which many low- and middle-income countries currently lack. High indebtedness and tight fiscal constraints limit the effectiveness of existing policies, and addressing that constraint is a key component of more effective tools to fight hunger.
Brazil’s administration believes in reversing the situation with a radical change in approach, including not only increased funding, but also a shift in priorities. President Lula highlighted changes during his administration that prioritized people in nutrition policies.
“As a result of the federal government’s work, in 2023 alone we removed 24.4 million people from severe food insecurity,” Lula stated on X. “We still have more than 8 million Brazilians in this situation. This is my government’s most urgent commitment: to end hunger in Brazil, as we did in 2014.”