2008 Global Hunger Index Klaus von Grebmer International Food Policy Research Institute

Why a Global Hunger Index? Positioning own country in relation to other countries Positioning own country in relation to other countries Learning from success (progress) and failures (regress) Learning from success (progress) and failures (regress) Attention of global community with regard to hunger Attention of global community with regard to hunger Incentive to act, to improve international ranking Incentive to act, to improve international ranking

Involves 120 developing and transitional countries countries and ranks 88 of them Involves 120 developing and transitional countries countries and ranks 88 of them Uses three equally-weighted indicators Uses three equally-weighted indicators Combines them into one index Combines them into one index 2008 Global Hunger Index (GHI)

How Is the GHI calculated? 1 Proportion (%) of people who are calorie deficient, or undernourished Key indicator of hunger 2 Prevalence (%) of underweight in children under the age of five Measure of childhood malnutrition—children being the most vulnerable to hunger 3 Under-five mortality rate (%)Measures the proportion of child deaths that are mainly caused by malnutrition and disease

How Is the Global Hunger Index Scaled? IndexClassificationColor Code ≥ 30.0Extremely alarming 20.0 – 29.9Alarming 10.0 – 19.9Serious 5.0 – 9.9Moderate hunger ≤ 4.9Low hunger

Country Classification: n= 120

Global Trends Hunger (overall score) has decreased by less than one-fifth Hunger (overall score) has decreased by less than one-fifth 1990: : : : 15.2 Most progress in reducing proportion of underweight children Most progress in reducing proportion of underweight children Indicator decreased by 5.9 points since 1990 Indicator decreased by 5.9 points since 1990

Lowest regional scores (“alarming”) in 2008 Lowest regional scores (“alarming”) in 2008 Sub-Saharan Africa: 23.3 Sub-Saharan Africa: 23.3 South Asia: 23.0 South Asia: 23.0 Nine of the ten countries with the highest levels of hunger are in Sub-Saharan Africa Nine of the ten countries with the highest levels of hunger are in Sub-Saharan Africa No Sub-Saharan African country is among the ten most improved since 1990 No Sub-Saharan African country is among the ten most improved since 1990 Regional Trends

Country Level Trends Best scoreMauritius, followed by Jamaica, Moldova, Cuba, and Peru Worst scoreDemocratic Republic of Congo (DRC), followed by Eritrea, Burundi, Niger, and Sierra Leone Most progressKuwait, Peru, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey, and Mexico RegressDRC, North Korea, Swaziland, Guinea-Bissau, and Zimbabwe

Country Level Trends Highest proportion of population with calorie deficiency Eritrea: 75% DRC: 74% Highest prevalence of underweight children (a measure of malnutrition) India, Yemen, and Timor-Leste: more than 40% Highest child mortality (under 5) rate Sierra Leone: 27% Angola: 26%

Who Is “Poor”?

Where Do The Poor Live?

How Is the Global Hunger Index Scaled? IndexClassificationColor Code ≥ 30.0Extremely alarming 20.0 – 29.9Alarming 10.0 – 19.9Serious 5.0 – 9.9Moderate hunger ≤ 4.9Low hunger

2008 Global Hunger Index

Progress - Regress

GHI-Winners and Losers

Global Food Price Crisis

Impact of Food Price Crisis Exacerbates hunger problems in many countries Exacerbates hunger problems in many countries Cuts into poor households’ food budgets, Cuts into poor households’ food budgets, Serious risks for undernourished infants and children under two Serious risks for undernourished infants and children under two Reduces the amount of food aid that donors can supply Reduces the amount of food aid that donors can supply

Food Price Crisis and Political Stability

Financial Crisis The financial crises led to sinking commodity prices This is a short term relief for the poor Capital for long term agricultural investments is getting scarcer The sustainable solution of the global food crisis is at risk

Summary There is progress in the fight against hunger, but not on a broad base There is progress in the fight against hunger, but not on a broad base The mixture of progress and regress in various countries means globally stagnation The mixture of progress and regress in various countries means globally stagnation This is intolerable This is intolerable