By Benadeta Mwaura - Reporter
Italy, 23 July 2026 - Africa has become the continent with the highest number of undernourished people in the world for the first time in modern history, overtaking Asia despite global hunger declining for a third consecutive year, according to the latest United Nations report on food security.
The 2026 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report, jointly published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO), estimates that 309 million Africans experienced undernourishment in 2025, compared to 292 million people in Asia.
The shift marks a significant turning point in the global fight against hunger. While Asia has steadily reduced the number of hungry people through agricultural productivity, economic growth and targeted social protection programmes, Africa's rapid population growth, recurring climate shocks, conflicts and persistent food price inflation have left the continent carrying the world's largest hunger burden.
Globally, the report estimates that 645 million people, representing 7.8% of the world's population, experienced hunger in 2025, down from 659 million in 2024 and 709 million in 2022.
The decline reflects notable progress in Asia and Latin America, where governments have expanded food assistance programmes, boosted agricultural production and improved economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although the proportion of undernourished people on the continent declined slightly, from 20.3% to 20%, the absolute number continued rising because Africa's population is growing faster than improvements in food production and nutrition. Today, one in every five Africans is undernourished.
The report identifies high food prices as one of the biggest obstacles preventing millions of Africans from accessing nutritious diets.
According to the FAO, 2.69 billion people globally cannot afford a healthy diet, with Africa remaining the worst-affected region. Approximately 66.6% of Africans are unable to afford a healthy diet, more than double the proportion in most other regions of the world.
The report explains that while inflation has eased in many economies, food prices remain stubbornly high due to supply chain disruptions, rising transport and energy costs, currency depreciation, climate shocks and trade restrictions.
For low-income households, food inflation forces difficult choices, with families often switching from nutritious foods such as fruits, vegetables, dairy and protein to cheaper, calorie-dense staples that fill stomachs but fail to meet nutritional requirements.
The UN agencies argue that hunger in Africa is no longer simply a production problem.
Instead, it reflects a combination of structural weaknesses that continue to undermine food systems across the continent.
Conflict remains one of the largest drivers, particularly in countries such as Sudan, South Sudan and parts of the Sahel, where displacement and insecurity have disrupted agricultural production and humanitarian access.
Climate change is compounding the crisis through prolonged droughts, floods and unpredictable rainfall that continue to reduce crop yields and livestock production.
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Meanwhile, weak transport infrastructure, limited storage facilities and fragmented regional markets make food significantly more expensive by the time it reaches consumers.
The report also points to heavy dependence on imported food, exposing many African countries to global commodity price shocks whenever geopolitical conflicts disrupt international trade.
Rather than relying solely on food aid, the report recommends comprehensive fiscal, monetary and trade reforms to make healthy diets more affordable.
Among the proposals are increased public investment in agriculture, targeted subsidies for nutritious foods instead of blanket food subsidies, stronger regional trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), improved rural infrastructure, better storage and logistics, and expanded social protection for vulnerable households.
The report also urges governments to avoid export restrictions during food crises, noting that such policies often worsen price volatility across neighbouring countries.
Although Kenya has recorded improvements in agricultural production over recent seasons, the country continues to experience pressure from rising food prices, climate variability and regional supply disruptions.
Recent dry spells affecting major food-producing counties, combined with elevated transport costs, have continued to influence prices of key commodities despite government interventions.
Nutrition experts warn that food security should not only be measured by the availability of food but also by whether households can consistently afford balanced and nutritious diets.
The findings cast fresh doubt on the world's ability to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 2, Zero Hunger, by 2030.
The UN projects that more than 500 million people could still be living with chronic hunger at the end of the decade, with Africa expected to account for the largest share unless governments accelerate investments in resilient agrifood systems and address the structural drivers of food insecurity.
For Africa, the report delivers a sobering message: despite modest global progress against hunger, the continent now stands at the centre of the world's food security challenge. Reversing that trend will require more than emergency food assistance.
It will demand sustained investment in agriculture, resilient food systems, regional trade and policies that make healthy diets affordable for the millions of Africans still being left behind.