While global food production has reached record highs, the jarring reality is that hunger is rising faster than we can harvest, with over 735 million people going undernourished in 2022 alone.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, 735 million people, or 9.2% of the global population, faced hunger, an increase of 122 million since 2019
- Sub-Saharan Africa had the highest prevalence of undernourishment at 20.4% in 2022, affecting nearly 278 million people
- Between 2019 and 2022, the number of people in severe food insecurity rose by 150 million to 2.4 billion
- In 2022, global cereal production reached 2,784 million tonnes, a record high increasing 1.2% from 2021
- World wheat production in 2022/23 was projected at 803.8 million tonnes, up 1.3% year-on-year
- Maize production hit 1,152 million tonnes in 2022, supported by favorable weather in major producers
- In 2022, the global Food Price Index averaged 143.7 points, 14.3% higher than 2021
- Wheat prices surged 42.4% year-on-year in 2022 due to Ukraine crisis
- Vegetable oil prices rose 25.1% in 2022, peaking at 191 points in March
- Globally, 148.1 million children under 5 were stunted in 2022, 35.5 million wasted
- 45.2 million children under 5 suffered from wasting in 2022, highest in South Asia
- Overweight prevalence among children under 5 reached 37 million globally in 2022
- Global aid for food security totaled $12.5 billion in 2022, insufficient for needs
- To end hunger by 2030, annual investment needed is $40 billion through 2030
- Climate change could increase undernourished by 80 million by 2050 under current trends
Global hunger persists with millions struggling daily despite record food production worldwide.
Affordability and Prices
- In 2022, the global Food Price Index averaged 143.7 points, 14.3% higher than 2021
- Wheat prices surged 42.4% year-on-year in 2022 due to Ukraine crisis
- Vegetable oil prices rose 25.1% in 2022, peaking at 191 points in March
- Global food import bill for low-income countries reached $295 billion in 2022, up 25%
- In 2022, 2.8 billion people could not afford a healthy diet costing $3.66/person/day
- Rice prices increased 15.2% in 2022, driven by Indian export restrictions
- Maiz prices were 12.5% higher in 2022, affecting animal feed costs globally
- Sugar prices jumped 19.3% in 2022 amid supply shortages in Brazil/India
- In LDCs, healthy diet affordability worsened for 96.4% of population in 2022
- Global cost of healthy diet rose 7.2% to $0.21/person/meal in 2022 from 2021
- Food inflation hit 24.4% globally in mid-2022, highest in 50 years
- In SSA, food prices were 30% above five-year average in 2022
- Middle East/North Africa food import bill soared 40% to $75 billion in 2022
- Retail food prices in US rose 11.4% in 2022, highest since 1979
- In India, staple food prices increased 8-10% in 2022 due to weather impacts
- Brazil's food CPI rose 12.1% in 2022, driven by energy and fertilizer costs
- EU food price inflation averaged 14.1% in 2022 amid energy crisis
- In 2022, cost to reach healthy diet affordability for all was $679 billion annually
Affordability and Prices Interpretation
In 2022, we learned the hard way that breadbasket conflicts, energy shocks, and export bans are a recipe for a world where nearly 2.8 billion people can no longer afford the very basics of a healthy diet, proving that food security is less about a lack of food and more about a surplus of crises.
Hunger Prevalence
- In 2022, 735 million people, or 9.2% of the global population, faced hunger, an increase of 122 million since 2019
- Sub-Saharan Africa had the highest prevalence of undernourishment at 20.4% in 2022, affecting nearly 278 million people
- Between 2019 and 2022, the number of people in severe food insecurity rose by 150 million to 2.4 billion
- In 2021, 2.33 billion people faced moderate or severe food insecurity, up 350 million from 2019
- Asia hosted 464 million undernourished people in 2022, accounting for 63% of the global total
- Latin America and the Caribbean saw undernourishment rise to 6.2% in 2022 from 5.5% pre-pandemic
- In 2022, 149 million children under 5 were stunted due to chronic undernutrition linked to hunger
- Western Asia's undernourishment prevalence jumped to 10.3% in 2022 from 8.1% average 2019-2021
- Globally, 783 million people were undernourished in 2021, equivalent to one in eleven people worldwide
- Northern Africa had 5.7% undernourishment prevalence in 2022, affecting about 21 million people
- In 2022, 42% of the global population could not afford a healthy diet, up from 37% in 2019
- Small island developing states had 10.5% undernourishment in 2022, impacting 3.5 million people
- During 2020-2022, 9.8% of the world population was chronically undernourished on average
- In least developed countries, undernourishment affected 22.5% of the population in 2022
- Caribbean prevalence of undernourishment was 12.7% in 2022, up significantly from prior years
- Oceania excluding Australia/New Zealand had 13.4% undernourishment in 2022
- Globally, acute food insecurity affected 345 million people across 78 countries in 2023
- In 2022, 57 million people in West Africa/Niger Sahel faced acute hunger
- Southern Asia had 234 million undernourished people in 2022, 8.1% prevalence
- Eastern Asia's undernourishment dropped to 2.4% in 2022, affecting 39 million
- In 2022, undernourishment affected 735 million people or 9.2% of world population
- Sub-Saharan Africa undernourishment prevalence was 20.4% in 2022
- Severe food insecurity rose to 2.4 billion people globally in 2022
- 2.33 billion faced moderate/severe food insecurity in 2021, trend continued
- Asia had 464 million undernourished in 2022
- Latin America undernourishment at 6.2% in 2022
- 149 million children stunted globally in 2022 from hunger
- Western Asia undernourishment 10.3% in 2022
- 783 million undernourished worldwide in 2021
- Northern Africa 5.7% undernourishment, 21 million affected in 2022
Hunger Prevalence Interpretation
The grim algebra of our time calculates that for every step forward in prosperity, a shadow of hunger grows longer, stretching from the crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa to the quiet struggles in our own neighborhoods, proving that global food security remains a myth for nearly a tenth of humanity.
Interventions and Projections
- Global aid for food security totaled $12.5 billion in 2022, insufficient for needs
- To end hunger by 2030, annual investment needed is $40 billion through 2030
- Climate change could increase undernourished by 80 million by 2050 under current trends
- Global hunger numbers projected to exceed 1 billion by 2030 without action
- Social protection programs reached 53% of hungry people in 2022, needs expansion
- Fertilizer subsidies cost $100 billion globally in 2022, distorting markets
- By 2050, food production must rise 60% to feed 9.7 billion
- Trade policies reduced food insecurity for 80 million during 2022 crisis
- Digital agriculture could boost yields 20-30% in developing countries by 2030
- Women's land rights reform could lift 100-150 million out of hunger by 2030
- WFP assisted 158 million people with food aid in 2022, largest operation ever
- Biofortified crops reached 20 million farmers in 40 countries by 2022
- Global hunger cost economy $3.5 trillion annually in 2022, 9% of GDP
- By 2030, 600 million more obese adults projected without interventions
- Renewable energy in agriculture could cut emissions 30% by 2050, aiding security
- In 2022, 71 countries had national food security strategies aligned with SDGs
- Conflict drove 70% rise in hunger hotspots from 2021 to 2023 projections
- Healthy diets investment gap is $277 billion/year to 2030 for affordability
- Precision agriculture adoption projected to save 30% water by 2030 globally
Interventions and Projections Interpretation
While we currently dangle the modest carrot of $12.5 billion in aid before a ravenous problem that demands a $40 billion feast, our real menu for the future—if we care to order it—includes empowering women, embracing smart tech, reforming broken systems, and finally understanding that the $3.5 trillion cost of hunger is a bill we're already foolishly choosing to pay.
Nutritional Outcomes
- Globally, 148.1 million children under 5 were stunted in 2022, 35.5 million wasted
- 45.2 million children under 5 suffered from wasting in 2022, highest in South Asia
- Overweight prevalence among children under 5 reached 37 million globally in 2022
- 1.9 billion adults were overweight in 2022, with 890 million obese, linked to poor diets
- Anemia affected 40% of children 6-59 months and 37% pregnant women in 2022
- Vitamin A deficiency threatened 190 million preschool children in 2022
- Iodine deficiency disorders impacted 2 billion people globally in 2022
- 258 million children under 5 were deficient in iron in 2019, trend continuing into 2022
- Exclusive breastfeeding rate stagnated at 44% for infants under 6 months in 2022
- In SSA, 30% of children under 5 were stunted in 2022, highest regional rate
- South Asia stunting rate was 31% for under-5s in 2022, down from 38% in 2012
- Globally, maternal malnutrition contributed to 45% of child deaths under 5 in 2022
- Non-communicable diseases from poor diets caused 11 million deaths yearly in 2022
- Micronutrient deficiencies affected 2 billion people in 2022, termed 'hidden hunger'
- Obesity rates tripled since 1975, affecting 16% of adults globally in 2022
- In 2022, 50 million people in 45 countries faced catastrophic hunger levels (IPC/CH Phase 5)
- Child wasting in Afghanistan reached 5.7 million in 2022, emergency levels
Nutritional Outcomes Interpretation
Our plates are paradoxically both overflowing and empty, leaving 148 million children stunted, 2 billion suffering hidden hunger, and 11 million dying annually from poor diets, while obesity silently claims more lives than famine.
Production and Supply
- In 2022, global cereal production reached 2,784 million tonnes, a record high increasing 1.2% from 2021
- World wheat production in 2022/23 was projected at 803.8 million tonnes, up 1.3% year-on-year
- Maize production hit 1,152 million tonnes in 2022, supported by favorable weather in major producers
- Rice production grew to 520 million tonnes milled equivalent in 2022, driven by Asia's output
- Global oilseed production reached 621 million tonnes in 2022/23, up 4% from previous year
- Meat production worldwide was 359 million tonnes in 2022, increasing 1.4% annually
- Milk production globally totaled 881 million tonnes in 2022, led by India and EU
- Fisheries and aquaculture supplied 179 million tonnes of aquatic foods in 2020, 17% of animal protein
- Global fertilizer use for cereals was 150 kg/ha in 2022, essential for yield maintenance
- Irrigated agriculture covered 301 million ha globally in 2022, producing 40% of food on 20% land
- World soybean production was 391 million tonnes in 2022/23, with Brazil as top producer
- Cereal import dependency ratio averaged 14.3% globally in 2022, highest in Africa at 25%
- Global agricultural land area was 4.92 billion hectares in 2021, 37% of Earth's land
- Yield of maize reached 5.9 tonnes/ha globally in 2022, up 20% since 2000
- Wheat yields averaged 3.5 tonnes/ha worldwide in 2022, varying from 8 t/ha in Europe to 2 in Africa
- Rice paddy production was 776 million tonnes in 2022, with Asia producing 90%
- Global pulse production hit 94 million tonnes in 2022, key for protein in diets
- Vegetable oil production totaled 203 million tonnes in 2022/23, palm oil dominant at 78 Mt
Production and Supply Interpretation
Mother Earth is serving an increasingly abundant but unevenly distributed banquet, reminding us that while our agricultural prowess grows impressively, our table manners in sharing it still need serious work.
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