The latest report from the Food and Agriculture Organization is pretty troubling, which says hunger is getting worse around the world, and 31 African countries require external assistance for food. The Crop Prospects and Food Situation Report for March 2026 singles out Africa as the hardest hit. Between ongoing conflicts, harsh weather, and shaky economies, millions are sliding into severe food insecurity, and right now, 41 countries globally need food aid, and Africa carries most of the weight; it makes up almost three-fourths of that number.

Why Are So Many African Countries Facing Severe Food Insecurity?

• Conflicts and insecurity: Conflicts in some of the African countries, such as Sudan and South Sudan, have left millions of people in these countries without food.
• Climate-related shocks: Repeated droughts in the Horn of Africa and floods in Central and West Africa have caused crop failures.
• Economic instability: High food prices, inflation, and currency fluctuations have rendered food unaffordable in some of these African countries.
• Dependence on imported foods: Some of the African countries rely on imported cereals, and when there are problems in the global supply chain, they are affected.
• Population growth: The population in Africa is projected to rise to 2.5 billion by 2050.

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Which Countries Are Affected, and What Does the Data Show?

• Total countries in crisis: 41 countries globally require assistance, with 31 in Africa, 8 in Asia, 1 in Latin America and the Caribbean, and 1 in Europe.
• African countries in crisis: Some of these countries include Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and Madagascar, among many others on the continent.
• Severe hunger levels: Global estimates indicate that over 280 million people in Africa suffer from undernourishment, which is a significant portion of the world’s hungry people.
• Acute levels of food insecurity: More than 100 million people in sub-Saharan Africa are in crisis or worse (IPC Phase 3 and above).
• Child malnutrition: Almost one in three children in Africa suffers from stunting, which is a sign of chronic nutritional deprivation.

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How Are Conflict and Climate Change Shaping the Crisis?

Conflict is still the greatest factor contributing to food insecurity within Africa; armed violence interrupts agricultural cycles, damages infrastructure, and forces people out of their homes. In insecure areas such as the Sahel and the Horn of Africa, agricultural land, markets, and other resources become inaccessible to farmers, contributing to their reliance on humanitarian assistance.

Rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall patterns, and extreme weather events are all reducing the amount of available crops and the amount of water available for agricultural purposes. 31 African countries require external assistance for food, according to the FAO, and if farmers do not plant climate-resilient crops or irrigate effectively, food production will only continue to decline.

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