International Food Security Assessment, 2024–34

Millions of people worldwide face food insecurity and do not have access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs for an active and healthy life. This report utilizes the demand-driven International Food Security Assessment (IFSA) model to assist the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its stakeholders in estimating food security trends in 83 low- and middle-income countries. Compared with 2023, there is now a substantial improvement in food security across the countries covered in the IFSA report. There are 313.0 million fewer people estimated to experience food insecurity in 2024, associated with an average of 3.4 percent growth in per capita income in these countries and the easing of price inflation. However, lingering effects of high food commodity prices and risks associated with ongoing conflicts in key shipping areas contribute to sustained food insecurity levels. The estimated number of food insecure people in 2024 is 824.6 million in the 83 low- and middle-income countries covered by this assessment, representing a 27.5 percent decrease from the 2023 estimate. Overall, 19.0 percent of the IFSA population may be unable to consume the recommended 2,100 kilocalories a day necessary to sustain a healthy and active lifestyle. While facing challenges in the short term, gains in per capita income and lower food commodity prices are projected to improve food accessibility, with the outlook for food security projected to improve in the next 10 years in all countries included in this assessment. By 2034, the number of food insecure people in the 83 IFSA countries is projected to be 274.6 million (5.5 percent of the population), marking a 66.7 percent reduction, compared to the estimated number in 2023. Note that the results presented in this report are based on the macroeconomic assumptions, completed as of August 2023.