Africa falls short of goal to end hunger by 2025

A family affected by a land dispute prepare vegetables for lunch in Kiryandongo District. About eight million people are suffering from ‘chronic hunger’ in the country, according to Naro. PHOTO/BILL OKETCH
What you need to know:
- Uganda, in particular, has been categorised as having a "serious" hunger level, with a score of 27.3 in the 2024 Global Hunger Index.
African countries, including Uganda, have fallen short of their goal to end hunger by 2025, a target set by the African Union.
This setback was revealed at the recent Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) summit, where H.E. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment at the African Union, delivered a sobering message about the continent's progress.
"While member states made progress, they failed to reach the benchmark of 7.8 out of 10 to end hunger," she said. "However, at least 18 countries scored above 5."
The commissioner attributed this failure to several persistent challenges, including the failure to allocate 10 per cent of national budgets to agriculture, as agreed upon in the 2003 Maputo declaration.
Other challenges hindering Africa's efforts to eradicate hunger include conflicts, instability, and the escalating effects of climate change.
"Up to 30 per cent of what African farmers produce is lost in the fields due to a lack of infrastructure and storage facilities," Ms Correia Sacko explained.
The COVID-19 pandemic has also disrupted agricultural systems, and the reliance on food imports has highlighted underlying issues in domestic agricultural production and self-sufficiency.
In response to these challenges, the African Union has developed a new 10-year CAADP Strategy and Action Plan (2026-2035).
The plan aims to build resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, focusing on integrating cutting-edge technologies, improving market access, and enhancing climate-smart agriculture practices.
Uganda, in particular, has been categorised as having a "serious" hunger level, with a score of 27.3 in the 2024 Global Hunger Index.
The country's efforts to end hunger have been hindered by various factors, including poverty, poor agricultural productivity, and inadequate road infrastructure.