Gatwal Nhial, 9, repairs a solar panel which is their only source of power on his floating grass island in what used to be Wangkotha Village

Solving hunger

Hunger isn’t inevitable. We can predict it, prevent it and treat it. We are pioneers, creating and testing new solutions to end global hunger.

Every day around 2,000 children die from severe malnutrition. And, every night 733 million people go to bed hungry.

But a world without life-threatening hunger is possible.

We can predict hunger. We can prevent it. And we can treat it.

Through research and innovation we are constantly assessing, improving and expanding our programmes. This makes us the go-to organisation when it comes to understanding how to tackle hunger and its causes.

And by designing our programmes with local communities, integrating them into national systems and working with partners, we ensure that short-term interventions are translated into long-term solutions.

They are taught how to use the MUAC (Upper-Middle Arm Circumference) tape that measures the brachial perimeter and to detect edema through direct observation and palpation. This approach is an approach to detect and diagnose malnutrition by mothers in order to reduce the mortality and morbidity associated with malnutrition and has been implemented in northern Senegal by Action Against Hunger since 2016.

Creating a cure for malnutrition

Thirty years ago, the medical community didn’t have a cure for malnutrition. So in 1993, we created it. Our team of scientists developed F100, the first-ever therapeutic formula to treat severely malnourished children.

Then scientists adapted this treatment to create a special peanut-based paste called ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) that can bring a malnourished child from a medical crisis to full recovery in just six weeks.

We were the first organisation to test this paste full of healthy fats and protein in communities around the world. And we helped to develop the international standard for treatment protocols.

Treating malnutrition where it’s happening

With the new millennium came new thinking. Agencies working in the area of nutrition realised it would be better to treat malnutrition right where it was happening, rather than in a hospital setting. Through the Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) approach, we can reach even more children in need and since patients remain at home or in local health clinics.

As a result, since 1990, the proportion of malnourished children globally has been cut in half. But we still need to do more.

And to do so, we’re working on even more innovations and new technologies.

Diagnosing life-threatening hunger with the SAM App

We’ve created a simple smartphone app for diagnosing life-threatening hunger with just a photo. The SAM (Severe Acute Malnutrition) photo app compares the body shape of a malnourished child with that of a healthy child to decide if they need lifesaving treatment with ready-to-use therapeutic food. It’s a quick and easy way to diagnose malnutrition.

Bringing diagnosis closer to home with iCCM+

And we’ve tested a new way to reach more children by training community health workers to diagnose and treat malnourished children in their communities. The approach we’ve used is called iCCM+.
It means we can get to more children, more quickly and improve results for less money.

Implementing early warning systems

We’re all seeing more and more extreme weather events that destroy homes and crops. But what is less well-known is that climate change has become a big cause of rising hunger around the world.

That’s why we’re also developing early warning systems to help us predict problems likely to face farmers and pastoralists.

To do this we need accurate, real-time data from the field.

We’ve created a system that enables early identification of shocks, such as drought or a global health pandemic. This means we can share vital information with local producers, communities, policymakers, other charities and non-governmental agencies so they can take fast and effective action to avert crises.

Monitoring water with HydroNut

We know there is a link between water reserves, health and children becoming malnourished. If we can unlock it and understand it, we believe we will be able to prevent hunger better.

The HydroNut project is a surveillance system that monitors groundwater and rainfall data. We then compare this information with nutritional, health and food security data.

This will help us develop a system capable of providing early warnings for acute malnutrition based on rainfall and water table levels.

Sharing what we learn

Evidence is the foundation of all we do. Our goal is to test our innovations and ensure they work. Then we share our research with others, so they can adopt our new and better ways of working.

One way we do this is through our Learning Hub, which brings together all sorts of learning from Action Against Hunger staff all over the world, in the form of articles, blogs, videos, audio, and more.

More about hunger

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.

Nutrition

Healthy baby with her mother after benefiting from Action Against Hunger programme in Mali

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

Conflict

South Sudanese refugees supported by an Action Against Hunger member of staff to tackle food insecurity caused by conflict.

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

Related Publications

Proposition Paper

Innovation and Technology

This proposition paper outlines how Action Against Hunger is working to find new, innovative and effective treatments to reach more children and tackle increasing world hunger.

Proposition Paper

Nutrition

Every day, more than 2,000 children die from hunger-related causes. This proposition paper outlines the devastating effects of malnutrition and what Action Against Hunger is doing to combat it.