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Estimates and projections of hunger

Latest estimates indicate that roughly 826 million people are undernourished -- 792 million people in the developing world and 34 million in the developed world. Although these figures represent no change from the previous reporting period, new projections for 2015 and 2030 suggest some progress, even without additional efforts. By 2015, for example, the number of undernourished in the developing world should fall to around 580 million.

This still lies far short of the World Food Summit goal of reducing the number to 400 million. That goal will not be reached until 2030 according to current projections.

If the goal were applied regionally, there would be both good news and bad news. South and East Asia would likely approach the target, while sub-Saharan Africa and the Near East and North Africa would probably remain far behind. Latin American and the Caribbean would fall somewhere in between.

Asia's sunnier outlook is partly attributable to economic expansion and slowing population growth in the world's two largest countries, China and India. Sub-Saharan Africa faces greater challenges. Most of the world's poorest and most conflict-ridden countries are located here, where prevalence of undernourishment is high and prospects for rapid economic growth limited.

 

About the lack of progress in reaching Food for All -- interview with Mr. C. Stuart Clark, the raison d'être of the Global Forum for Sustainable food and Nutritional security (02:16 min). Mp3 (1068Kb), Realaudio (282Kb)