A fifth of people in Africa are suffering from chronic hunger. This map shows where the situation is most severe

Aug 4, 2022

With the collaboration of Statista.

Chronic hunger affects over 275 million people in Africa. Image: Unsplash/bill wegener

Martin Armstrong

Data Journalist, Statista

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Africa

Around 20% of people in Africa are facing chronic hunger, compared with only 10% globally.
The situation is worst in Somalia, and ‘very serious’ in seven other countries.
Russia's war on Ukraine has exacerbated food supply problems, while climate change and the pandemic have also contributed.

278 million people in Africa suffer from chronic hunger. This corresponds to 20 percent of the continent's population. By comparison, ten percent are affected when looked at globally. According to Welthungerhilfe, the main drivers of hunger include wars, climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Most recently, the Russian attack on Ukraine further exacerbated food supply problems. Even before that though, the situation in many African countries was serious, as this map based on the 2021 World Hunger Index illustrates. The index "annually measures and compares the severity of hunger and malnutrition in the world, different regions and individual countries."

The situation is particularly dire in Somalia, with seven other countries rated as "very serious" - Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Burundi, the Central African Republic the Comoros and Madagascar. Only a handful of countries can be classified as "low" or "moderate" on the severity scale.

Grading Africa's hunger from World Hunger Index 2021.

Map of Africa grading world hunger in different regions from low to severe and no data according to World Hunger Index 2021. Image: Statista.

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What is the World Economic Forum on Africa?

With elections taking place in more than 20 African countries in 2019, the world’s youngest continent is facing a new era.

Held under the theme 'Shaping Inclusive Growth and Shared Futures in the Fourth Industrial Revolution' the 28th World Economic Forum on Africa will convene more than 1,000 regional and global leaders from government, business, civil society and academia.

The event (held 4-6 September 2019) will explore new regional partnerships and entrepreneurial and agile leadership to create pathways for shared prosperity and drive a sustainable future.

Participants will discuss ways to accelerate progress on five transformative pan-African agendas in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, addressing the African Union’s Agenda 2063 priorities.

Read more about the Forum's Impact in Africa and our launch of a new Africa Growth Platform to scale the region’s start-ups for success.

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