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There is more than enough food produced in the world to feed everyone on the planet. Yet as many as 783 million people still go hungry.
World Hunger Facts
Sandra Calligaro
Action Against Hunger, Afghanistan
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Global hunger crisis in 2023
Nearly one in ten people around the world go to bed hungry each night, a crisis driven largely by conflict, climate change, and chronic inequality.
14M
Children Suffer from Severe Acute Malnutrition
45%
Of Child Deaths Worldwide Are Due to Hunger & Related Causes
1,000
Children Die Each Day from Illnesses Caused by Dirty Water and Unhygienic Living Conditions.
What is hunger?
Hunger is more complicated than empty bellies. It’s a multifaceted problem with many root causes and far-reaching impact. The first step to ending the global hunger crisis is to understand what it is and why it exists in a world of plenty.
Who does hunger affect?
An overwhelming majority of the world’s hungry people reside in the developing world, where extreme poverty and lack of access to nutritious food often leads to malnutrition. Women and children are particularly vulnerable.
10 Hunger Facts
Download 10 facts about world hunger and learn how you can help us save lives.
Stephane Rakotomalala
Action Against Hunger, Madagascar
Ghulam Reza Nazari
Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC)
Due to the severe drought in Somalia, Mumina has no food and no breastmilk left to feed her youngest baby.
“What Can I Give Her?”Today, we made dried tamarind. You crush the tamarind until it’s a sticky paste. Then you add ash and cook it. We’ll eat it this evening. It’s not healthy at all, but at least we have something warm in our bellies.”
— Tsiharatie, a mother of seven children in Madagascar
“We Have Nothing to Eat Because of the Drought”Both me and my child were very weak. We do not have enough food - just a bit of rice, wheat, and flour, nothing else. Pregnant women here face the risk of death, and they face many other risks. They do a lot of work, and they have no choice because there is no one else to work.”
— Nadia, a mother of five in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Voices of MothersIf opting in to receive SMS updates, you can expect to receive no more than 3 messages a month. Message and data rates may apply. Text "STOP" at any time to opt out.
What Causes World Hunger?
Inequity
Power determines who eats and who goes hungry, who lives and who dies.
Climate Change
The climate crisis is driving hunger and malnutrition around the world.
Conflict
Seventy-five percent of the world’s malnourished people live in conflict zones.
Disaster & Emergencies
Humanitarian emergencies disrupt and destroy livelihoods for millions of people.
Poverty
Extreme poverty, lack of sufficient food, and hunger are inextricably linked.
How we fight hunger
The world's hungriest countries
These countries need immediate life-saving help.
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