Food insecurity in Africa recedes for first time in a decade; next challenge is making progress irreversible

Food insecurity across Africa has seen its first improvement in ten years, offering a glimmer of hope after a decade of worsening conditions. In 2025, the proportion of the continent's population experiencing hunger fell to 20% from 20.3% the previous year.

More significantly, the prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity declined from 58.5% to 56.6%. This translates to 8.6 million fewer people facing such challenges. The rate of severe food insecurity also decreased, and cases of stunting in children are reportedly regressing.

This modest but significant shift marks a potential turning point. Hunger on the continent had been on the rise since 2017, and this recent data suggests that trend may have finally halted. The next critical challenge will be to ensure these gains are difficult to reverse.