In 2022, 735 million people faced hunger worldwide, an increase of 122 million since 2019. Food is available at global scale, but affordability gaps are widening, leaving 2.8 billion people unable to afford a healthy diet at $3.66 per person per day. The statistics in this article track how prices, trade disruptions, and undernutrition indicators move together across regions.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the global Food Price Index averaged 143.7 points, 14.3% higher than 2021
- In 2022, 735 million people, or 9.2% of the global population, faced hunger, an increase of 122 million since 2019
- Global aid for food security totaled $12.5 billion in 2022, insufficient for needs
- Globally, 148.1 million children under 5 were stunted in 2022, 35.5 million wasted
- In 2022, global cereal production reached 2,784 million tonnes, a record high increasing 1.2% from 2021
Nearly 783 million people still face hunger, highlighting urgent needs for faster, smarter global food security action.
Related reading
01 · Category
Affordability and Prices18 stats
01
In 2022, the global Food Price Index averaged 143.7 points, 14.3% higher than 2021
02
Wheat prices surged 42.4% year-on-year in 2022 due to Ukraine crisis
03
Vegetable oil prices rose 25.1% in 2022, peaking at 191 points in March
04
Global food import bill for low-income countries reached $295 billion in 2022, up 25%
05
In 2022, 2.8 billion people could not afford a healthy diet costing $3.66/person/day
06
Rice prices increased 15.2% in 2022, driven by Indian export restrictions
07
Maiz prices were 12.5% higher in 2022, affecting animal feed costs globally
08
Sugar prices jumped 19.3% in 2022 amid supply shortages in Brazil/India
09
In LDCs, healthy diet affordability worsened for 96.4% of population in 2022
10
Global cost of healthy diet rose 7.2% to $0.21/person/meal in 2022 from 2021
11
Food inflation hit 24.4% globally in mid-2022, highest in 50 years
12
In SSA, food prices were 30% above five-year average in 2022
13
Middle East/North Africa food import bill soared 40% to $75 billion in 2022
14
Retail food prices in US rose 11.4% in 2022, highest since 1979
15
In India, staple food prices increased 8-10% in 2022 due to weather impacts
16
Brazil's food CPI rose 12.1% in 2022, driven by energy and fertilizer costs
17
EU food price inflation averaged 14.1% in 2022 amid energy crisis
18
In 2022, cost to reach healthy diet affordability for all was $679 billion annually
Interpretation
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.
02 · Category
Hunger Prevalence30 stats
01
In 2022, 735 million people, or 9.2% of the global population, faced hunger, an increase of 122 million since 2019
02
Sub-Saharan Africa had the highest prevalence of undernourishment at 20.4% in 2022, affecting nearly 278 million people
03
Between 2019 and 2022, the number of people in severe food insecurity rose by 150 million to 2.4 billion
04
In 2021, 2.33 billion people faced moderate or severe food insecurity, up 350 million from 2019
05
Asia hosted 464 million undernourished people in 2022, accounting for 63% of the global total
06
Latin America and the Caribbean saw undernourishment rise to 6.2% in 2022 from 5.5% pre-pandemic
07
In 2022, 149 million children under 5 were stunted due to chronic undernutrition linked to hunger
08
Western Asia's undernourishment prevalence jumped to 10.3% in 2022 from 8.1% average 2019-2021
09
Globally, 783 million people were undernourished in 2021, equivalent to one in eleven people worldwide
10
Northern Africa had 5.7% undernourishment prevalence in 2022, affecting about 21 million people
11
In 2022, 42% of the global population could not afford a healthy diet, up from 37% in 2019
12
Small island developing states had 10.5% undernourishment in 2022, impacting 3.5 million people
13
During 2020-2022, 9.8% of the world population was chronically undernourished on average
14
In least developed countries, undernourishment affected 22.5% of the population in 2022
15
Caribbean prevalence of undernourishment was 12.7% in 2022, up significantly from prior years
16
Oceania excluding Australia/New Zealand had 13.4% undernourishment in 2022
17
Globally, acute food insecurity affected 345 million people across 78 countries in 2023
18
In 2022, 57 million people in West Africa/Niger Sahel faced acute hunger
19
Southern Asia had 234 million undernourished people in 2022, 8.1% prevalence
20
Eastern Asia's undernourishment dropped to 2.4% in 2022, affecting 39 million
21
In 2022, undernourishment affected 735 million people or 9.2% of world population
22
Sub-Saharan Africa undernourishment prevalence was 20.4% in 2022
23
Severe food insecurity rose to 2.4 billion people globally in 2022
24
2.33 billion faced moderate/severe food insecurity in 2021, trend continued
25
Asia had 464 million undernourished in 2022
26
Latin America undernourishment at 6.2% in 2022
27
149 million children stunted globally in 2022 from hunger
28
Western Asia undernourishment 10.3% in 2022
29
783 million undernourished worldwide in 2021
30
Northern Africa 5.7% undernourishment, 21 million affected in 2022
Interpretation
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.
03 · Category
Interventions and Projections19 stats
01
Global aid for food security totaled $12.5 billion in 2022, insufficient for needs
02
To end hunger by 2030, annual investment needed is $40 billion through 2030
03
Climate change could increase undernourished by 80 million by 2050 under current trends
04
Global hunger numbers projected to exceed 1 billion by 2030 without action
05
Social protection programs reached 53% of hungry people in 2022, needs expansion
06
Fertilizer subsidies cost $100 billion globally in 2022, distorting markets
07
By 2050, food production must rise 60% to feed 9.7 billion
08
Trade policies reduced food insecurity for 80 million during 2022 crisis
09
Digital agriculture could boost yields 20-30% in developing countries by 2030
10
Women's land rights reform could lift 100-150 million out of hunger by 2030
11
WFP assisted 158 million people with food aid in 2022, largest operation ever
12
Biofortified crops reached 20 million farmers in 40 countries by 2022
13
Global hunger cost economy $3.5 trillion annually in 2022, 9% of GDP
14
By 2030, 600 million more obese adults projected without interventions
15
Renewable energy in agriculture could cut emissions 30% by 2050, aiding security
16
In 2022, 71 countries had national food security strategies aligned with SDGs
17
Conflict drove 70% rise in hunger hotspots from 2021 to 2023 projections
18
Healthy diets investment gap is $277 billion/year to 2030 for affordability
19
Precision agriculture adoption projected to save 30% water by 2030 globally
Interpretation
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.
More related reading
04 · Category
Nutritional Outcomes17 stats
01
Globally, 148.1 million children under 5 were stunted in 2022, 35.5 million wasted
02
45.2 million children under 5 suffered from wasting in 2022, highest in South Asia
03
Overweight prevalence among children under 5 reached 37 million globally in 2022
04
1.9 billion adults were overweight in 2022, with 890 million obese, linked to poor diets
05
Anemia affected 40% of children 6-59 months and 37% pregnant women in 2022
06
Vitamin A deficiency threatened 190 million preschool children in 2022
07
Iodine deficiency disorders impacted 2 billion people globally in 2022
08
258 million children under 5 were deficient in iron in 2019, trend continuing into 2022
09
Exclusive breastfeeding rate stagnated at 44% for infants under 6 months in 2022
10
In SSA, 30% of children under 5 were stunted in 2022, highest regional rate
11
South Asia stunting rate was 31% for under-5s in 2022, down from 38% in 2012
12
Globally, maternal malnutrition contributed to 45% of child deaths under 5 in 2022
13
Non-communicable diseases from poor diets caused 11 million deaths yearly in 2022
14
Micronutrient deficiencies affected 2 billion people in 2022, termed 'hidden hunger'
15
Obesity rates tripled since 1975, affecting 16% of adults globally in 2022
16
In 2022, 50 million people in 45 countries faced catastrophic hunger levels (IPC/CH Phase 5)
17
Child wasting in Afghanistan reached 5.7 million in 2022, emergency levels
Interpretation
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.
05 · Category
Production and Supply18 stats
01
In 2022, global cereal production reached 2,784 million tonnes, a record high increasing 1.2% from 2021
02
World wheat production in 2022/23 was projected at 803.8 million tonnes, up 1.3% year-on-year
03
Maize production hit 1,152 million tonnes in 2022, supported by favorable weather in major producers
04
Rice production grew to 520 million tonnes milled equivalent in 2022, driven by Asia's output
05
Global oilseed production reached 621 million tonnes in 2022/23, up 4% from previous year
06
Meat production worldwide was 359 million tonnes in 2022, increasing 1.4% annually
07
Milk production globally totaled 881 million tonnes in 2022, led by India and EU
08
Fisheries and aquaculture supplied 179 million tonnes of aquatic foods in 2020, 17% of animal protein
09
Global fertilizer use for cereals was 150 kg/ha in 2022, essential for yield maintenance
10
Irrigated agriculture covered 301 million ha globally in 2022, producing 40% of food on 20% land
11
World soybean production was 391 million tonnes in 2022/23, with Brazil as top producer
12
Cereal import dependency ratio averaged 14.3% globally in 2022, highest in Africa at 25%
13
Global agricultural land area was 4.92 billion hectares in 2021, 37% of Earth's land
14
Yield of maize reached 5.9 tonnes/ha globally in 2022, up 20% since 2000
15
Wheat yields averaged 3.5 tonnes/ha worldwide in 2022, varying from 8 t/ha in Europe to 2 in Africa
16
Rice paddy production was 776 million tonnes in 2022, with Asia producing 90%
17
Global pulse production hit 94 million tonnes in 2022, key for protein in diets
18
Vegetable oil production totaled 203 million tonnes in 2022/23, palm oil dominant at 78 Mt
Interpretation
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.
report visual · Key figures
Global food insecurity and diet affordability (2022)
A large share of people cannot afford healthy diets, and hunger affects hundreds of millions worldwide.
42%
In 2022, 42% of the global population could not afford a healthy diet, up from 37% in 2019
20.4%
Sub-Saharan Africa had the highest prevalence of undernourishment at 20.4% in 2022, affecting nearly 278 million people
9.2%
In 2022, undernourishment affected 735 million people or 9.2% of world population
2.4
Severe food insecurity rose to 2.4 billion people globally in 2022
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Timothy Grant. (2026, February 13). Global Food Security Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/global-food-security-statistics
MLA
Timothy Grant. "Global Food Security Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/global-food-security-statistics.
Chicago
Timothy Grant. 2026. "Global Food Security Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/global-food-security-statistics.
Sources & references
21 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level