Africa has become the continent with the highest number of people suffering from hunger, according to the UN's latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2026 report. Nearly 309 million Africans, or 20% of the continent's population, are facing undernourishment despite a slight improvement in hunger rates.

The report highlights that 66.6% of Africans cannot afford a healthy diet, more than double the level recorded in Asia. Climate change, armed conflicts, economic hardship, rising food prices, and the impact of the Iran conflict on energy and fertilizer costs have worsened food insecurity across the continent.

Africa becomes world's hunger epicentre | 309 Million face food crisis | UN report 2026

Africa has become the continent with the highest number of people suffering from hunger, according to the UN's latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2026 report. Nearly 309 million Africans, or 20% of the continent's population, are facing undernourishment despite a slight improvement in hunger rates.

The report highlights that 66.6% of Africans cannot afford a healthy diet, more than double the level recorded in Asia. Climate change, armed conflicts, economic hardship, rising food prices, and the impact of the Iran conflict on energy and fertilizer costs have worsened food insecurity across the continent.


As UK is struggling with political instability. The economic instability is also becoming increasingly worrying for average households.

Millions of people marching towards starvation as UK's cost of living crisis deepens

Billions of desert locusts, some in swarms the size of Moscow, have already chomped their way through much of the region, including Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Djibouti, Eritrea, Tanzania, Sudan, South Sudan and Uganda.

Africa unable to cope with food crisis