Food scarcity is a persistent crisis affecting hundreds of millions, with children and pregnant people among the hardest hit. It shows up as hunger, child wasting, and stunting that can weaken health and learning, along with higher maternal mortality where food insecurity rises. This page connects those outcomes to the conditions behind them, including climate-vulnerable regions and drivers like conflict, economic shocks, and drought.
Key Takeaways
- Hunger leads to 45% of child deaths under 5 globally.
- Stunting impairs cognitive development in 149 million children, reducing future GDP by 11%.
- Wasting causes 867,000 child deaths yearly.
- In 2023, approximately 733 million people worldwide, or about 9.1% of the global population, faced hunger, marking a persistent crisis post-COVID-19.
- The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) 2023 report indicates that 2.4 billion people, or 28.9% of the global population, faced moderate or severe food insecurity in 2022.
- In 2022, 148.1 million children under five suffered from stunting due to chronic undernutrition linked to food scarcity.
- In sub-Saharan Africa, 20.4% of the population was undernourished in 2022.
- Southern Asia had 14.4% undernourishment prevalence in 2020-2022.
- Western Asia saw 10.5% of population undernourished recently.
- Global hunger numbers stalled, no progress towards SDG2 since 2015.
- By 2030, 600 million projected to face hunger if trends continue.
- Child stunting expected to affect 127 million by 2030 without action.
- Food scarcity exacerbated by climate change, with 80% of hungry people in climate-vulnerable areas.
- Conflicts drove food crises in 60% of countries with worst hunger in 2023.
- Economic shocks affected 48 countries, impacting 140 million with acute hunger.
Hunger and undernutrition still harm billions and deaths, and progress toward SDG2 is stalled post COVID.
Related reading
01 · Category
Impacts On Populations27 stats
01
Hunger leads to 45% of child deaths under 5 globally.
02
Stunting impairs cognitive development in 149 million children, reducing future GDP by 11%.
03
Wasting causes 867,000 child deaths yearly.
04
Food insecurity increases maternal mortality by 30% in affected areas.
05
Undernutrition reduces school attendance by 20% in low-income countries.
06
Chronic hunger lowers worker productivity by 20-30%.
07
Micronutrient deficiencies cause 1.1 million child deaths annually.
08
Food scarcity linked to 3.1 million child deaths under 5 in 2021.
09
In conflict zones, hunger doubles child mortality rates.
10
Food insecure households have 50% higher poverty rates.
11
Malnutrition costs global economy $3.5 trillion yearly.
12
Wasting increases hospitalization risk by 9 times in children.
13
Hunger exacerbates mental health issues, affecting 1 in 3 food-insecure adults.
14
Food scarcity reduces life expectancy by up to 10 years in severe cases.
15
815 million women and girls face anemia due to poor diets.
16
Child stunting correlates with 20% lower wages in adulthood.
17
Food insecurity increases obesity risk by 30% due to cheap unhealthy foods.
18
Acute hunger forces 155 million children out of school.
19
Malnourished mothers have 30% higher low birth weight babies.
20
Food scarcity heightens disease susceptibility by 50%.
21
Economic losses from hunger: $11 trillion in productivity foregone.
22
In Yemen, 2.7 million children severely malnourished.
23
Afghanistan: 1 million children at risk of death from hunger.
24
Nigeria: 2 million children with severe acute malnutrition.
25
Somalia: 1.2 million children acutely malnourished.
26
Hunger drives migration of 20 million people annually.
27
Food scarcity worsens gender-based violence by 25%.
Interpretation
Impacts On Populations Interpretation
Food scarcity is driving major population-level harm worldwide, including hunger causing 45% of under 5 child deaths and stunting affecting 149 million children while also reducing future GDP by 11%.
02 · Category
Prevalence And Numbers30 stats
01
In 2023, approximately 733 million people worldwide, or about 9.1% of the global population, faced hunger, marking a persistent crisis post-COVID-19.
02
The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) 2023 report indicates that 2.4 billion people, or 28.9% of the global population, faced moderate or severe food insecurity in 2022.
03
In 2022, 148.1 million children under five suffered from stunting due to chronic undernutrition linked to food scarcity.
04
Globally, 9% of the population, equating to 735 million people, experienced hunger in 2022, up from pre-pandemic levels.
05
Acute food insecurity affected 258 million people across 58 countries in 2023, according to IPC/CH analysis.
06
In 2021, 278 million people in 43 countries faced high levels of acute food insecurity, a 40 million increase from 2020.
07
828 million people affected by hunger in 2021, representing nearly 1 in 10 people globally.
08
Moderate or severe food insecurity rose to 2.33 billion people in 2021 from 2.37 billion in 2020, per FAO data.
09
45 million people in 43 countries were at emergency levels of acute hunger (IPC Phase 4 or worse) in 2022.
10
Undernourishment prevalence stood at 9.2% globally in 2020-2022, affecting 735 million adults and children.
11
22.3% of children under 5 worldwide were stunted in 2022 due to food scarcity and malnutrition.
12
6.8% of children under 5 experienced wasting in 2022, a severe form of acute malnutrition from food shortages.
13
In 2023, 349 million people in 78 countries faced acute food insecurity, per WFP estimates.
14
Global hunger numbers rose by 150 million since the COVID-19 outbreak began in 2020.
15
190 million people pushed into food insecurity due to the Ukraine crisis in 2022.
16
In 2022, 50 million people in Afghanistan faced acute food insecurity amid economic collapse.
17
24.6 million people in Yemen experienced high acute food insecurity in 2023.
18
Nigeria had 25 million people facing acute hunger in 2022.
19
Ethiopia saw 20.3 million people in acute food insecurity in 2023 due to drought.
20
Somalia had 6.6 million people facing crisis-level hunger in 2023.
21
South Sudan reported 7.8 million people in IPC Phase 3 or above in 2023.
22
Haiti faced acute food insecurity for 5.6 million people in 2023.
23
Sudan had 18.2 million people in acute hunger post-2023 conflict outbreak.
24
DRC saw 25.5 million facing acute food insecurity in 2023.
25
Pakistan had 14.6 million in acute food insecurity after 2022 floods.
26
Madagascar affected 1.4 million with famine-like conditions in 2023.
27
Globally, 149 million children under 5 were stunted in 2020 due to food scarcity.
28
45 million children under 5 wasted globally in 2021.
29
Overweight affected 37 million children under 5 in 2022, linked to poor diets from scarcity.
30
Micronutrient deficiencies impact 2 billion people worldwide annually.
Interpretation
Prevalence And Numbers Interpretation
For the prevalence and numbers angle, hunger remains widespread and persistent, with about 733 million people in 2023 suffering hunger, alongside 2.4 billion experiencing food insecurity and nearly 258 million facing acute hunger in 2023 across 58 countries.
03 · Category
Regional Distribution28 stats
01
In sub-Saharan Africa, 20.4% of the population was undernourished in 2022.
02
Southern Asia had 14.4% undernourishment prevalence in 2020-2022.
03
Western Asia saw 10.5% of population undernourished recently.
04
Latin America and Caribbean: 6.2% undernourishment rate in 2022.
05
Northern Africa had 8.9% undernourished population.
06
Eastern Asia: 2.4% undernourishment, lowest among regions.
07
Oceania: 9.3% undernourished.
08
In Africa, 278 million people faced hunger in 2023, over one-fifth of the continent's population.
09
Asia hosted 526.5 million hungry people in 2022.
10
Latin America saw 41.3 million undernourished in 2022.
11
Middle East and North Africa: 57 million hungry.
12
Sub-Saharan Africa had the highest child stunting rate at 30.7% in 2022.
13
South Asia: 26.5% stunting in children under 5.
14
Yemen: 16.2 million people, half the population, acutely food insecure in 2023.
15
Syria: 12.4 million faced food insecurity in 2022.
16
Haiti: 4.9 million, 44% of population, in acute food insecurity.
17
Afghanistan: 15.8 million acutely food insecure in 2023.
18
Sahel region: 27 million facing acute hunger in 2023.
19
Horn of Africa: 36.4 million in need of food assistance.
20
Ukraine: 15.9 million affected by food insecurity due to war in 2023.
21
Lebanon: 3.7 million food insecure, 80% of population.
22
Nigeria's northeast: 4.4 million acutely food insecure.
23
Myanmar: 15.2 million facing acute food insecurity in 2023.
24
Central America Dry Corridor: 2.5 million in crisis hunger levels.
25
Southern Africa: 26 million food insecure due to drought in 2024 projection.
26
East Africa: 21 million children at risk of acute malnutrition.
27
West Africa: 33,000 children at risk of death from severe acute malnutrition monthly.
28
Caribbean: 7 million affected by food insecurity post-hurricanes.
More related reading
04 · Category
Trends And Projections26 stats
01
Global hunger numbers stalled, no progress towards SDG2 since 2015.
02
By 2030, 600 million projected to face hunger if trends continue.
03
Child stunting expected to affect 127 million by 2030 without action.
04
Food insecurity to rise 20% by 2050 due to climate change.
05
Acute food insecurity countries doubled from 28 in 2020 to 59 in 2023.
06
Global undernourishment increased from 8% in 2019 to 9.2% in 2022.
07
Hunger in Africa projected to rise to 343 million by 2030.
08
Wheat production shortfall of 8-10% expected in 2024 from weather.
09
570 million projected chronic hunger by 2030 at current rates.
10
La Niña to improve yields, reducing hunger risk in 2024 for some regions.
11
Fertilizer use needs 50% increase to meet 2050 food demand.
12
Global food demand to rise 50% by 2050, straining supplies.
13
Arable land per person declined 50% since 1960.
14
Obesity tripled since 1975, linked to uneven food access.
15
Conflict-related hunger hotspots increased 25% since 2019.
16
Investments in agriculture fell 20% from 2013-2021.
17
Renewable energy in ag could cut emissions 30% by 2030.
18
Digital tools could boost yields 20% for smallholders.
19
Climate adaptation investments need $250 billion/year by 2030.
20
Biofortified crops to reach 200 million by 2030.
21
Social protection programs could halve hunger by 2050.
22
AI in forecasting could reduce waste 20%.
23
Global food waste: 1.05 billion tonnes/year, enough for 1.3 billion people.
24
Trade liberalization could lower food prices 10% by 2030.
25
Hunger numbers dipped slightly in 2023 to 733 million from 2022 peak.
26
By 2050, 80% of poor live in fragile states with high hunger risk.
Interpretation
Trends And Projections Interpretation
Stalled progress on SDG2 with undernourishment rising from 8% in 2019 to 9.2% in 2022 and projections of 600 million people facing hunger by 2030 underscore the growing urgency behind the trends and projections in food scarcity.
05 · Category
Underlying Causes27 stats
01
Food scarcity exacerbated by climate change, with 80% of hungry people in climate-vulnerable areas.
02
Conflicts drove food crises in 60% of countries with worst hunger in 2023.
03
Economic shocks affected 48 countries, impacting 140 million with acute hunger.
04
Droughts caused food insecurity for 23 million people in 20 countries in 2022.
05
Floods pushed 12 million into hunger in Pakistan alone in 2022.
06
Rising fertilizer prices due to Ukraine war increased costs by 80% globally.
07
Food price inflation reached 14.3% globally in 2023, highest in decades.
08
75% increase in wheat prices since Russia-Ukraine invasion.
09
COVID-19 lockdowns led to 132 million more undernourished people.
10
Poor infrastructure causes 40% post-harvest losses in developing countries.
11
Climate variability reduces crop yields by up to 21% in sub-Saharan Africa.
12
Armed conflicts displaced 35 million people, disrupting food systems.
13
Gender inequality: Women farmers produce 20-30% less due to limited access to resources.
14
Soil degradation affects 33% of global farmland, reducing productivity.
15
Water scarcity impacts 2.4 billion people, limiting agriculture.
16
Pests and diseases cause 20-40% crop losses annually.
17
Trade barriers increased food prices by 10-20% in import-dependent countries.
18
Fossil fuel dependency raises farming costs by 30% with energy prices.
19
Urbanization reduces arable land by 1% per decade in Asia.
20
Overfishing depletes 34% of fish stocks, affecting protein supply.
21
Speculative trading inflated food commodity prices by 25% in 2022.
22
Input costs (seeds, fertilizers) rose 50% for smallholders in 2022.
23
Export bans by major producers affected 20% of global grain trade.
24
Monoculture farming increases vulnerability to shocks by 40%.
25
Corruption in aid distribution wastes 30% of food assistance.
26
Lack of cold chains causes 25% fruit/veg losses in Africa.
27
El Niño projected to worsen hunger for 40 million in 2024.
Interpretation
Underlying Causes Interpretation
Underlying causes of food scarcity are being driven by escalating climate and conflict pressures, with 80% of hungry people living in climate-vulnerable areas and conflicts linked to food crises in 60% of the worst-hit countries in 2023.
report visual · Key figures
Food scarcity at a persistent high
Hunger remains at crisis levels post-COVID-19, with recent estimates staying near ~9% globally and affecting hundreds of millions.
28.9%
The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) 2023 report indicates that 2.4 billion people, or 28.9% of
9%
Globally, 9% of the population, equating to 735 million people, experienced hunger in 2022, up from pre-pandemic levels.
9.1%
In 2023, approximately 733 million people worldwide, or about 9.1% of the global population, faced hunger, marking a per
258
Acute food insecurity affected 258 million people across 58 countries in 2023, according to IPC/CH analysis.
2023
In 2023, 349 million people in 78 countries faced acute food insecurity, per WFP estimates.
2023
Hunger numbers dipped slightly in 2023 to 733 million from 2022 peak.
Reference
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APA
Timothy Grant. (2026, February 13). Food Scarcity Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/food-scarcity-statistics
MLA
Timothy Grant. "Food Scarcity Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/food-scarcity-statistics.
Chicago
Timothy Grant. 2026. "Food Scarcity Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/food-scarcity-statistics.
Sources & references
39 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level