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Asia and the Pacific - Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2023

Statistics and Trends














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Last updated date 18/06/2024


FAO. 2023. Asia and the Pacific - Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2023: Statistics and trends. Bangkok.



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    Accelerating actions for agrifood systems transformation for food security and better nutrition
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    In 2024, twenty-five million people in Asia and the Pacific escaped hunger, reducing undernourishment to 6.4 percent from 7.0 percent in 2023. Yet, the region still accounts for nearly 40 percent of the world’s hungry, with almost 80 percent living in Southern Asia. Despite progress since 2000, child stunting, wasting, and anaemia among women of reproductive age remain above global nutrition targets.Healthy diets remain costly in the region, averaging 4.77 PPP dollars per day in 2024, higher than the global average of 4.46 PPP dollars. Eastern Asia has the highest cost at 5.95 PPP dollars per day. Though costs have risen since 2017, fewer people are now unable to afford a healthy diet, with affordability in the region better than the global average. Transforming agrifood systems is key to improving food availability, access, and affordability. Economic growth, regional cooperation, and climate variability shape food security, but inclusive growth is essential to reduce inequalities. Regional bodies like ASEAN, SAARC, and SPC are vital for driving this transformation.National pathways, highlighted during the 2025 UN Food Systems Summit Global Stocktake, emphasize stakeholder engagement, gender empowerment, innovation, and sustainable financing. However, many countries still must develop actionable, costed plans with clear implementation and monitoring frameworks. Accelerated, coordinated action is critical to meet food security and nutrition goals across Asia and the Pacific.
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    Europe and Central Asia - Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2023
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    The Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition in Europe and Central Asia for 2023 – Statistics and Trends provides a comprehensive analysis of Sustainable Development Goal 2, focusing specifically on Target 2.1 (ending hunger and ensuring universal access to food) and Target 2.2 (eradicating all forms of malnutrition). Additionally, the report evaluates progress concerning three global nutrition targets: adult obesity, exclusive breastfeeding, and low birthweight, as endorsed by the 2012 World Health Assembly. It also offers an updated analysis of the cost and affordability of a healthy diet within the Europe and Central Asia region.Recent estimates affirm that hunger prevalence remains relatively low in the ECA region. Food insecurity at moderate or severe levels is notably lower compared to global estimates. However, food insecurity levels remain significantly higher than those recorded before the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the ECA region has made significant strides in reducing undernutrition overall, some countries still exhibit relatively high rates of stunting (over 10 percent) and wasting (over 3 percent). Overall, the region is not on track in addressing childhood overweight, adult obesity, anemia among women aged 15 to 49, and exclusive breastfeeding.Healthy diets play a crucial role in safeguarding against the impacts of malnutrition, fostering improved health outcomes. Notably, in the past year, the Western Balkans experienced the highest cost for a healthy diet within the region, surpassing both the ECA and global averages. Overall, there has been an increase in the number of individuals able to afford a healthy diet over the past year, while the percentage unable to afford it remains significantly lower than the global estimate.
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    Africa - Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2023
    Statistics and trends
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    Africa is facing a food crisis of unprecedented proportions. Millions are expected to be at risk of worsening hunger in the near future due to the rippling effects of the war in Ukraine, which are compounding the devastating impacts that conflicts, climate variability and extremes, economic slowdowns and downturns, and the aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic are having on the most vulnerable. In this context, social and gender inequalities are also on the rise, with women and girls being among the most affected by these shocks.Despite efforts made in several countries, the African continent is not on track to meet the food security and nutrition targets of the Sustainable Development Goal 2 on Zero Hunger for 2030, and certainly the Malabo targets of ending hunger and all forms of malnutrition by 2025. The most recent estimates show that nearly 282 million people in Africa (about 20 percent of the population) were undernourished in 2022, an increase of 57 million people since the COVID-19 pandemic began. About 868 million people were moderately or severely food-insecure and more than one-third of them – 342 million people – were severely food-insecure.The present edition of the report presents the latest analysis of the prevalence and trends in undernourishment, food insecurity, and malnutrition. In addition, it includes, for the first time, estimates of the cost and affordability of a healthy diet, which are useful indicators of people’s economic access to nutritious foods and healthy diets.The deterioration of the food security situation and the lack of progress towards the WHO global nutrition targets make it imperative for countries to step up their efforts ifthey are to achieve a world without hunger and malnutrition by 2030. The call for greater action remains true in view of the projected lower rate of economic growth, high general andfood price inflation, and raising borrowing costs on domestic and international markets since 2022.

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    While some progress and recovery have been made in recent years, the world is still above pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels and far from eradicating hunger and food insecurity by 2030 (SDG Target 2.1). Similarly, despite some progress in the global nutrition targets, the world is not on track to achieve SDG Target 2.2. Among other factors, persistent food price inflation has slowed this momentum.The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2025 highlights how elevated inflation in many countries has undermined purchasing power and, especially among low-income populations, access to healthy diets. The report documents how high food price inflation is associated with increases in food insecurity and child malnutrition. Vulnerable groups, including low-income households, women, and rural communities, can be particularly affected by food price inflation, risking setbacks in the fight against hunger and malnutrition.In response to these challenges and to prevent future price shocks, the report examines policy measures adopted by countries, and outlines what is necessary going forwards. It stresses the importance of coherent implementation of fiscal and monetary policies to stabilize markets, promote open and resilient trade, and protect vulnerable populations. Additionally, it calls for better data systems and sustained investment in resilient agrifood systems to build long-term food security and nutrition. These coordinated actions are vital to reignite progress towards ending hunger and malnutrition by 2030.