The Status of Food Security in Africa

This report uses most recent available food security data and research to provide an updated review of the status of food security in Africa in all of its four commonly discussed dimensions – availability, accessibility, stability and utilization. This is in light of the most recent structural changes that have been shaping the global and regional working policy space where global food security is increasingly and repeatedly being threatened. From 2006 to mid 2008 the international prices of agricultural commodities increased considerably. In particular, wheat prices doubled during the year leading up to April 2008 and rice prices increased from around USD1$370 a ton to over USD$1000 a ton between January and April 2008 causing for the first time in history the number of people suffering from chronic hunger to reach one billion globally. The report focuses on Africa in general and on sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in particular.