Recent data reveals a deepening food crisis across Africa, with an estimated 149 million individuals grappling with acute food insecurity, marking an alarming increase of 12 million from the preceding year. This surge catapults these individuals into risk categories 3 or higher on the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) scale, denoting Crisis, Emergency, and Catastrophe.
A staggering 82 percent of this afflicted population, a record high, find themselves in nations grappling with conflict, reaffirming that ongoing disputes stand as the foremost catalyst behind Africa’s escalating food crisis. Notably, 8 out of the top 10 African countries contending with acute food insecurity are entangled in conflict.
The stark contrast between the current figures and those of 2019, when 61 million individuals faced acute food insecurity, paints a dire picture—a 150-percent increase in just four years. This alarming surge underscores the pressing need for comprehensive and immediate intervention to address the root causes of conflict and its devastating repercussions on food security across the continent.
