Africa recorded its first continent-wide improvement in food insecurity in a decade during 2025. The hunger rate across the continent declined from 20.3% in 2024 to 20% in 2025. This modest but significant shift indicates a potential turning point after years of worsening conditions.
The number of people experiencing moderate or severe food insecurity also fell significantly. This figure decreased from 58.5% to 56.6%, representing 8.6 million fewer people. Child stunting is also declining, and the overall rise in hunger since 2017 appears to have halted.
This progress stems from two decades of sustained investment by African countries in critical agricultural infrastructure and institutions. These include agricultural research and extension services, veterinary networks, and improved rural roads and market links. Ghana, for example, reduced its share of people facing hunger from 11.1% to 6.4% over this period, demonstrating the impact of consistent policy.
Maximo Torero, an expert in food security, noted that these gains arrived even as external financing became less reliable. He emphasized that national capacity, smarter public spending, and resilient supply chains are now more crucial than ever. This moment clarifies that the architecture behind food security can work effectively.
The next challenge for African governments is to shift from merely reducing hunger to making nutritious diets affordable. This will require redirecting existing subsidies towards areas like animal health, cold chains, and research into fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Such targeted investments can address the high cost of healthy foods, which currently prices out two in three Africans.
Africa still faces a substantial food security challenge, with 309 million hungry people. By 2030, the continent is projected to host 56% of all people still facing hunger worldwide. The cost of healthy diets remains a significant barrier, with animal source foods being particularly expensive across the continent.
The current progress, while encouraging, is not yet permanent. The 2025 estimates reflect conditions before recent funding cuts fully took effect, with the full impact expected in 2026 and beyond. Continued investment in statistical services, which made these gains visible, is also essential.
African governments have demonstrated their capacity to improve food security against considerable odds. The task now is to apply this same capacity to tackle the high cost of nutritious food. This will ensure that 2025 marks the beginning of durable progress, rather than just a single good year.