Alice in a cabbage field supported by Action Against Hunger in the Democratic Republic of Congo..

Food security

Everyone should have enough nutritious food to eat. But millions of people live with food insecurity and hunger. So what is it and why does it happen?

This morning, more than two billion people woke up not knowing if they’d have enough food to eat today. They’re facing food insecurity.

What is food security and food insecurity?

Food security means having enough nutritious food to eat.

Food insecurity is when a person can’t guarantee a steady, daily supply of safe and nutritious food to live an active and healthy life. That means they’re going to bed hungry. Every single day.

Food insecurity is divided into two categories:

Moderate food insecurity is when people have to compromise on the quality and quantity of their food. It includes skipping means or not having enough nutritious food stay healthy.
Severe food insecurity is when food completely runs out. This might be because of disasters such as floods or earthquakes, or it might be caused by conflict. Whatever the cause, it’s a serious health risk.

What causes food insecurity?

Not having enough money is often a major – if not the major – cause of food insecurity. And whatever the initial cause, poverty always makes the situation worse.

There’s plenty of food to go round – the world produces enough to feed the entire population. But not everyone can get access to it. Many people don’t have the money to buy food. Or they can’t get to it safely, whether that’s at the market or on their own land.

Conflict and violence can stop people accessing food supplies. And climate change and natural disasters can reduce the food available in a particular area. This means prices go up. And, when you have little money, this becomes a big problem.

A food fair organised by Action Against Hunger in Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo. Conflict has caused widespread hunger in the region.

Facts and figures

1 in 11
Globally, 1 out of 11 people face hunger – that's 9.1% of the world's population.
2.3M
In 2023, we supported more than two million people through our food security and livelihoods programmes.
252
We run 252 food security and livelihoods programmes around the world.

Achieving food security

We can only solve the problem of food insecurity by making sure that everyone has access to enough food. That means we need to make sure:

people have enough money
they can get to food supplies
there are no food shortages.

We run food security and livelihoods programmes across the world, always working with local communities to make sure we meet their specific needs. Many of our programmes are designed to boost families’ income so that people can make money, live well and buy what they need to survive and thrive.

Boosting farmers’ yields

Around 80% of people who experience hunger live in rural areas – and the majority of them are small-scale farmers. So it makes sense that we focus on them.

We help farmers in all sorts of ways: by reclaiming their land, regenerating soil, sharing knowledge on drought-resistant crops and growing nutrient-rich produce. By improving the soil quality, small-scale farmers are able to grow more crops – enough to feed their families – and provide fodder for their animals, which are a key source of income.

Building resilient local food systems and protecting the soil not only feeds hungry families now, but will be critical to avert large-scale future shortages. And it will help ensure food security and good nutrition for all.

Putting it into action

The Diffa region of Niger has faced crisis after crisis. Climate change has led to increased droughts which erode soil fertility and put crops and livestock at risk. The local communities have had little choice but to abandon their land.

Working with the University of Diffa we’ve been testing innovative farming techniques to restore the land. For example, in the village Yambal farmers have been experimenting with plant spacing, adding compost to the soil and using natural deterrents like neem juice and herbs to combat pests.

A participant at a farmer field school in Pakistan.

Growing healthy food to fight hunger

How we’re supporting communities in Pakistan to get the nutrients they need to maintain healthy diets.

Read the story

More about our work

Climate crisis

Gai tries to spear fish after his village in South Sudan is flooded.

Rising temperatures and extreme weather are having a huge impact on already vulnerable communities.

No longer a future threat

Nutrition

Providing children with the nutrition they need means they can fulfil their potential and build a brighter, healthier future.

A good foundation

Conflict

South Sudanese refugees supported by an Action Against Hunger member of staff.

Most people facing hunger and malnutrition in the world today can be found in countries affected by conflict.

The biggest driver of hunger