Global Hunger Index: Situation Worsens in 32 Countries – Africa Particularly Affected

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Global Hunger Index: Situation Worsens in 32 Countries – Africa Particularly Affected.

When you think of hunger, you probably picture scenes from television – emaciated children, bone-dry fields. What many don't realize: the situation has not only failed to improve in recent years, it has actually gotten worse in 32 countries compared to 2018. That's the finding of the latest Global Hunger Index, as reported by the Tages-Anzeiger and Die Zeit.

Both newsrooms highlight the same figure: 32 nations where hunger has increased since 2018. Die Zeit puts it that hunger has "risen since 2018 according to the Global Hunger Index," while the Tages-Anzeiger speaks of a "deteriorated hunger situation." The common thread: this isn't about isolated hotspots, but a global trend moving in the wrong direction.

For you, that means: the fight against hunger is stalling – precisely where the need is greatest. Let's look at where and why.

Where the situation is worst

Both sources agree: Sub-Saharan Africa is particularly affected. The Tages-Anzeiger highlights the region as a focal point, while Die Zeit names Sudan as a concrete example – a country gripped by a bloody civil war for years, with millions of people displaced.

What drives hunger there, according to Die Zeit, is an interplay of three factors: conflict, displacement, and extreme weather. That's no coincidence – it's a pattern. Where war rages, farmers can't tend their fields. Where people are forced to flee, they lose access to markets and food. And where droughts and floods are intensifying, harvests collapse. These three drivers reinforce one another.

Funding is drying up

The problem comes at the worst possible time. The Tages-Anzeiger points to a second, often overlooked development: "At the same time, there is less and less money for humanitarian aid." While the number of people in need is rising, the resources available to help them are shrinking.

For you as a reader, that means: the gap between need and assistance is widening. Organizations that distribute food have to prioritize – and can no longer reach everyone who depends on them.

What the Global Hunger Index measures

The Global Hunger Index has been published annually since 2006 by Welthungerhilfe, Concern Worldwide, and other partners. It combines four indicators: undernourishment, child stunting, child mortality, and micronutrient deficiencies. The result is a score on a scale up to 50 – the higher, the worse the situation.

When 32 countries have deteriorated since 2018, that's not a statistical outlier – it's a warning signal. The international community had set itself a goal in the UN Sustainable Development Goals to end hunger by 2030. The reality looks very different.

What this means for you

You don't have to travel to Africa to be affected. Hunger has geopolitical consequences: migration, displacement, political instability – all of it reaches Europe too. Anyone who understands the Global Hunger Index understands why crises are escalating in parts of the world that eventually arrive on our doorstep.

Those who want to help can turn to reputable organizations like Welthungerhilfe, Doctors Without Borders, or the UN World Food Programme. Donations have the greatest impact where the situation is most acute – especially as government funding retreats.

The next update of the Global Hunger Index will show whether the trend can be reversed. Right now, it doesn't look that way.