Nearly 60% of Namibians cannot afford healthy diet - report

Around 733 million people faced hunger in 2023, equivalent to one in eleven people globally and one in five in Africa.

This is according to the 2024 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report, which said about 60% of Namibians are unable to afford a healthy diet, which costs around US$3.65 (N$76.88 at today’s exchange rate) per person per day.

At least 1.5 million people in Namibia were unable to afford a healthy diet, according to the latest statistics.

The report indicated that about 800 000 people in Namibia faced severe food insecurity in 2023, while 600 000 suffered from undernourishment.

Despite some progress in specific areas, such as stunting and exclusive breastfeeding, an alarming number of people continue to face food insecurity and malnutrition, the report stated.

Global hunger levels have plateaued for three consecutive years, with between 713 and 757 million people undernourished in 2023—approximately 152 million more than in 2019 when considering the mid-range (733 million).

The population facing hunger continues to rise in Africa, now at 20.4%.

Global hunger threats

If current trends continue, about 582 million people will be chronically undernourished in 2030, half of them in Africa, the report warned.

It highlighted that access to adequate food remains elusive for billions.

In 2023, around 2.33 billion people globally faced moderate or severe food insecurity, a number that has not changed significantly since the sharp upturn in 2020, amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Among those, over 864 million people experienced severe food insecurity, going without food for an entire day or more at times.

“This number has remained stubbornly high since 2020, and while Latin America shows improvement, broader challenges persist, especially in Africa, where 58% of the population is moderately or severely food insecure,” statistics show.

No money for food

A lack of economic access to healthy diets also remains a critical issue, affecting over one-third of the global population, as the report pointed out.

With new food price data and methodological improvements, over 2.8 billion people are estimated to be unable to afford a healthy diet, the latest data shows.

“This disparity is most pronounced in low-income countries, where 71.5% of the population cannot afford a healthy diet, compared to 6.3% in high-income countries. Notably, the number dropped below pre-pandemic levels in Asia and in Northern America and Europe, while it increased substantially in Africa.”

The report pointed out that food insecurity and malnutrition are worsening due to a combination of factors, including persisting food price inflation that continues to erode economic gains for many people in many countries.

“Major drivers like conflict, climate change and economic downturns are becoming more frequent and severe. These issues, along with underlying factors such as unaffordable healthy diets, unhealthy food environments and persistent inequality, are now coinciding simultaneously, amplifying their individual effects.”