Research & Advocacy

Facts About Hunger and Malnutrition: Global and Uganda

Global Hunger and Malnutrition

Hunger and malnutrition remain among the world’s greatest development challenges, affecting millions of people despite sufficient global food production.

• About 645 million people worldwide (approximately 7.8% of the global population) experienced hunger in 2025.
• Africa carries the highest burden, with about 309 million people undernourished—roughly 1 in every 5 Africans.
• More than 2.69 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet, limiting access to nutritious foods essential for good health.
• 148 million children under five are stunted (too short for their age), while about 43 million children are affected by wasting (low weight for height).
• Conflict, climate change, economic shocks, displacement, and rising food prices continue to drive food insecurity across many regions.

Hunger and Malnutrition in Uganda

Uganda has made progress in agricultural production and nutrition, yet hunger and malnutrition remain significant challenges, especially among vulnerable populations.

• Approximately 1.42 million people were projected to experience acute food insecurity requiring urgent assistance.
• Uganda hosts more than 1.9 million refugees, making it Africa’s largest refugee-hosting country. Reduced humanitarian funding has increased food insecurity among many refugee households.
• Around 24% of children under five are stunted, meaning nearly one in four children experiences chronic under-nutrition that can affect growth, learning, and future productivity.
• Approximately 3–4% of children under five suffer from wasting, a life-threatening form of acute malnutrition.

Hunger Fighters Uganda Alignment with Global and National Development Frameworks

Hunger Fighters Uganda (HFU) aligns its programmes with Uganda’s national development priorities and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through integrated humanitarian, resilience, and development interventions, HFU contributes to inclusive economic growth, food security, climate resilience, and improved livelihoods for refugees and host communities across Uganda.

Supporting Uganda Vision 2040

HFU contributes to Uganda Vision 2040 by investing in human capital development, food and nutrition security, sustainable agriculture, environmental conservation, community resilience, and socioeconomic transformation. By empowering vulnerable households to become self-reliant, HFU supports the country’s long-term aspiration to transform Uganda into a modern and prosperous society.

Contributing to the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV)

HFU’s programs complement the objectives of NDP IV by strengthening agro-industrialization, improving household incomes, enhancing nutrition, creating employment opportunities for youth and women, promoting financial inclusion, building resilience to climate change, and supporting local economic development. Through evidence-based programming and community participation, HFU contributes to Uganda’s agenda of sustainable and inclusive growth.

Supporting Uganda’s Ten-Fold Growth Strategy

HFU contributes to the Government of Uganda’s Ten-Fold Growth Strategy by advancing agricultural productivity, enterprise development, value addition, food systems transformation, climate-smart agriculture, financial inclusion, skills development, and community entrepreneurship. Through livelihood diversification and market-oriented interventions, HFU helps households transition from humanitarian assistance to sustainable economic participation.

Advancing the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF)

HFU is committed to Uganda’s Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) by implementing programmes that strengthen refugee self-reliance while promoting peaceful coexistence with host communities. Through food assistance, nutrition services, livelihoods, financial inclusion, climate resilience, protection, and social cohesion initiatives, HFU supports integrated service delivery that benefits both refugees and host populations, in line with Uganda’s progressive refugee policy.

HFU’s Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

HFU advances the following Sustainable Development Goals through its programmes:

• SDG 1 – No Poverty: Promoting self-reliance through Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), entrepreneurship, vocational skills development, financial literacy, enterprise support, and livelihood diversification.
• SDG 2 – Zero Hunger: Improving food security through cash and in-kind food assistance, nutrition programmes, kitchen gardening, school feeding, climate-smart agriculture, and sustainable food systems.
• SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being: Enhancing health through nutrition services, maternal and child health, disease response, hygiene promotion, and community health education.
• SDG 4 – Quality Education: Supporting school feeding, school gardens, nutrition education, youth skills development, and community awareness to improve educational outcomes.
• SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities: Building resilient communities through disaster risk reduction, refugee-host community integration, WASH, social cohesion, and resilience programming.
• SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production: Promoting sustainable agricultural practices, efficient natural resource management, food preservation, post-harvest management, and reduction of food loss and waste.
• SDG 13 – Climate Action: Strengthening resilience through climate-smart agriculture, agroforestry, tree planting, environmental restoration, renewable energy solutions, and sustainable land and water management.
• SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals: Working closely with the Government of Uganda, WFP, UN agencies, development partners, civil society organizations, research institutions, the private sector, and local communities to deliver sustainable and measurable impact.

Our Commitment

HFU remains committed to supporting Uganda’s national development agenda while contributing to global development priorities. By aligning its work with Uganda Vision 2040, NDP IV, the Ten-Fold Growth Strategy, the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF), and the Sustainable Development Goals, HFU is helping to build resilient, food-secure, healthy, and prosperous communities where no one is left behind.