How many starving children are there in Africa?

The number of starving children in Africa is difficult to determine with precision, as various factors can contribute to hunger and food insecurity. However, different sources provide estimates that highlight the seriousness of the issue.

According to the World Food Programme (WFP), an estimated 282 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa were estimated to be undernourished in 2020. Of these, approximately 59 million children under the age of 5 were classified as stunted, meaning they were too short for their age due to chronic undernutrition.

Save the Children, an international humanitarian organization, estimated in 2019 that there were around 15 million severely malnourished children in Africa, with the worst-affected regions being the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, and Central and West Africa.

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) reported in 2021 that nearly 257 million people in Africa faced food insecurity at the severe level, meaning that they were unable to meet their basic food needs.

These estimates provide an indication of the magnitude of the problem of hunger among children in Africa. It's important to note that the numbers can vary over time due to factors such as droughts, conflicts, and economic challenges, which can exacerbate food shortages and malnutrition.