The world's hungriest countries: What we're missing They include Burundi, Somalia, South Sudan, and Syria. Learn more about the hunger crisis in South Sudan, as well as how
The world's hungriest countries: What we're missing
In 2022, several countries rank around Yemen in terms of hunger levels. They include Burundi, Somalia, South Sudan, and Syria.
According to the Global Hunger Index 2022, which was adopted by the International Food Policy Research Institute, Yemen was the most affected by hunger and malnutrition, with an index of 45.1. The Central African Republic followed with an index of 44.
A dire economic crisis
Many of Sri Lanka's 22 million people are facing acute shortages of food, fuel and medicine as the island nation finds itself battling one of the worst economic crises since it became independent in 1948.
Gabon is a small central African nation. It covers a land area of nearly 270,000 sq km and has an estimated population of 1,500,000. Its capital is Libreville. Among all of the countries ranked in the 2011 Global Hunger Index, Gabon had the lowest score and thus the lowest level of hunger.
A global problem. South Asia, East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, where hidden hunger is driven simply by poor access to nutritious foods, are the worst affected.
Hunger in the developing world
The highest number of malnourished people, 520 million, lives in Asia and the Pacific, in countries like Indonesia and the Philippines. In sub-Saharan Africa, 243 million people face hunger in arid countries like Ethiopia, Niger and Mali.
As noted above, there are many countries where hunger is widespread but where data is insufficient to properly rank them on the Global Hunger Index. In 2022, several countries rank around Yemen in terms of hunger levels. They include Burundi, Somalia, South Sudan, and Syria.
China is the world's largest grain producer, yet has grown more dependent on food imports in recent decades. Much of India's output is produced by subsistence farmers and consumed locally. The U.S. is the world's top food exporter thanks to high crop yields and extensive agricultural infrastructure.
Germany's food retailers remain the hardest-hit by supply shortages, finds the latest ifo Institute survey. In February, 85.7 percent of the companies surveyed reported this problem, down from 95.6 percent in January.
“In Australia we are lucky because most of our food is grown and produced here. We produce enough food to feed 75 million people. That is enough to feed the entire population three times over. We have a very safe, reliable, and efficient food supply chain.
Iceland was ranked as the BEST COUNTRY for food quality and diet diversification.
Between 2013 and 2019, China lost more than 5 percent of its arable land due to factors such as excess fertilizer use and land neglect, according to Chinese government figures. Extreme weather, environmental degradation, water scarcity and pollution, and climate change could exacerbate the problem.
Poverty is often a major cause of food insecurity. But even though the world produces enough food to feed the entire population, four out of ten people across the globe can't afford a healthy diet. Some countries experience poverty and food insecurity more than others.
According to a study by CEO World Magazine, the United States and the United Kingdom are the most fast-food-obsessed countries in the world. France and Sweden ranked third and fourth spots, followed by Austria, Mexico, and South Korea.
Africa's colonial legacy is often cited to explain its low food production.
The world population could be too big to feed itself by 2050. By then, there will be almost 10 billion people on the planet and food demand will have increased by 70 percent compared to 2017. Scientists put the limit on how many people Earth can feed at 10 billion - max!
China and India produce more household food waste than any other country worldwide at an estimated 92 million and 69 million metric tons every year, respectively.
In the EU
There is no risk of food shortages in the EU. This is thanks to the well-established EU agricultural sector which is supported by the EU common agricultural policy. The EU-27's self-sufficiency rate for selected agricultural products in 2022 equals: olive oil: 142%
However, global food production is incredibly efficient. The world's farmers produce enough food to feed 1.5x the global population. That's enough to feed 10 billion (we are at 7.6 billion currently). Despite this excess, hunger still exists.
The Cause of Hunger is Not What You Think
Ending hunger isn't about supply. The world produces enough food to feed everyone on the planet. The problem is access and availability, both of which are disrupted by things like extreme weather, food waste, one's gender and – worst of all – conflict.