Hunger - the daily scandal
After some success was made in the fight against hunger, hunger has been on the rise again worldwide since 2015. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 673 million people went hungry in 2024, although enough food is being produced.
Technological and social progress as well as global economic growth make it possible today to produce food that not only feeds all (8 billion) people, but could also provide them with all the nutrients they need. Never before has so much food been produced as today; the calories would be enough for up to 10 billion people! The problem is not the lack of food, but the unfair distribution: those who need it most urgently do not receive it!
Misereor's commitment against hunger
Misereor is committed to ensuring that people around the world are not only fed, but are able to provide for their own food. It is not about alms, but about helping people help themselves - for the greatest possible self-determination. This is achieved, among other things, by strengthening smallholder agriculture and local food systems. Based on the conviction that local people know best what is necessary and sensible, Misereor supports the initiative of local organisations instead of becoming active locally itself. In acute cases, Misereor provides emergency aid to ensure basic food supplies.
What is hunger?
Hunger means that people do not have enough to eat - either permanently or temporarily - and this jeopardises their health and quality of life. A distinction is made between acute hunger and chronic hunger. Acute hunger usually occurs in crisis situations such as wars or natural disasters. Chronic hunger, on the other hand, prevails over a longer period of time and is often caused by poverty and a lack of access to healthy food and clean water. The inadequate supply of energy-rich food is at the core of both of these two forms. But even people who eat enough calories can suffer from a lack of important nutrients. This less visible deficiency is known as hidden hunger. All forms of hunger can have serious health and social impacts.
Johanna Entrup
Agriculture and nutrition
- Telephone
- +49 241 442512
- johanna.entrup@misereor.de
What makes people hungry?
Hunger has three main causes: wars that deprive people of access to food and income; natural disasters such as droughts and floods, which are increasing due to the ongoing climate crisis and which destroy production bases; and poverty. Increasingly, land grabbing is another cause of hunger. These factors are often interlinked, for example when conflicts prevent disaster prevention.
Study 2026 – Poverty Gap: World Food Security
The “Global Food Poverty Gap” illustrates how much money people worldwide are lacking to afford the…
The “Global Food Poverty Gap” illustrates how much money people worldwide are lacking to afford the minimum requirements of a balanced diet, and the extent of the injustice. In 2025, this gap will amount to 2.79 trillion US dollars.
- Publisher: Misereor
- Project managers: Nina Brodbeck, Lutz Depenbusch, Johanna Entrup
- Number of pages: 20
- Year of publication: October 2026
The “Global Food Poverty Gap” illustrates how much money people worldwide are lacking to afford the minimum requirements of a balanced diet, and the extent of the injustice. In 2025, this gap will amount to 2.79 trillion US dollars.
- Publisher: Misereor
- Project managers: Nina Brodbeck, Lutz Depenbusch, Johanna Entrup
- Number of pages: 20
- Year of publication: October 2026
Recipes for head and stomach
With this recipe booklet, we invite you on a culinary journey that goes far beyond the edge of your…
With this recipe booklet, we invite you on a culinary journey that goes far beyond the edge of your plate. It combines enjoyment with social responsibility and shows how nutrition can contribute to a better world for all. Based on the "95 theses for the head and stomach", this booklet is based on the guiding principle: Good food is not only good for the body, but also for the mind.
- Publisher: Misereor and Slow Food Germany
- Year of publication: 2026
- Pages: 35
With this recipe booklet, we invite you on a culinary journey that goes far beyond the edge of your plate. It combines enjoyment with social responsibility and shows how nutrition can contribute to a better world for all. Based on the "95 theses for the head and stomach", this booklet is based on the guiding principle: Good food is not only good for the body, but also for the mind.
- Publisher: Misereor and Slow Food Germany
- Year of publication: 2026
- Pages: 35
The booklet describes the scientific status of agroforestry and its benefits in terms of…
The booklet describes the scientific status of agroforestry and its benefits in terms of biodiversity, income and food security. It shows examples from Africa, Asia, Latin America and Germany of the implementation and effects and what consumers and politicians can do to provide further support.
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Publisher: Misereor
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Year of publication: 2024
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Number of pages: 16
The booklet describes the scientific status of agroforestry and its benefits in terms of biodiversity, income and food security. It shows examples from Africa, Asia, Latin America and Germany of the implementation and effects and what consumers and politicians can do to provide further support.
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Publisher: Misereor
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Year of publication: 2024
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Number of pages: 16
