The number of hungry people in the world rose sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic and has remained at nearly the same level ever since, according to the flagship U.N. global food security report. This means the United Nations’ goal of eliminating hunger by 2030 is becoming further and further out of reach.
Between 713 million and 757 million people may have faced hunger in 2023, the report said. When considering the middle of that range, or 733 million, the figures amount to about 152 million more people than in 2019, the year before the pandemic.
An estimated 2.33 billion people were moderately or severely food insecure last year — or almost 29% of the global population. And more than one-third of people, or 2.8 billion, were unable to afford a healthy diet.
About the author
Tania Karas@TaniaKaras
Tania Karas is a Senior Editor at Devex, where she edits coverage on global development and humanitarian aid in the Americas. Previously, she managed the digital team for The World, where she oversaw content production for the website, podcast, newsletter, and social media platforms. Tania also spent three years as a foreign correspondent in Greece, Turkey, and Lebanon, covering the Syrian refugee crisis and European politics. She started her career as a staff reporter for the New York Law Journal, covering immigration and access to justice.
