Johannesburg, South Africa – The shadow of a deepening global food crisis looms large, with Africa bearing the brunt of a “highly unpredictable environment” and effective tariff rates not seen in a century, according to a stark warning from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Forecasts for global growth have been slashed, and for millions across the African continent, this translates into a tightening grip of food insecurity.
While global markets for staple grains like wheat, maize, rice, and soybeans are reported as “generally stable” by the April 2025 AMIS Market Monitor, the reality on the ground in East and Central Africa is far more perilous. Conflicts remain the primary driver of destitution, with a staggering 25 million people in Sudan facing acute food insecurity, including famine conditions in multiple regions. Further south, the Democratic Republic of Congo battles similarly grim statistics, with 27.7 million facing high levels of acute food insecurity, nearly 4 million of whom are in emergency conditions. Beyond the continent, the spectres of war in Gaza, Haiti, Lebanon, and Yemen also fuel this escalating hunger crisis.
Domestic food price inflation, a silent but potent threat, continues its upward trajectory across much of the developing world. Data between December 2024 and March 2025 paints a worrying picture: a staggering 78.9% of low-income countries are grappling with food inflation exceeding 5%. While lower-middle-income nations have seen a slight reprieve, upper-middle-income countries have witnessed a significant spike, with 47% now experiencing inflation above 5%. Even high-income nations are not immune, with 17.9% facing similar increases. Disturbingly, in a stark reflection of the everyday struggle, real food price inflation has outstripped overall inflation in 60% of the 162 countries surveyed.
Despite the relative calm reported in agricultural commodity indices since March 14, with agricultural and export prices closing only marginally higher, the year-on-year figures tell a more nuanced story for key African staples. Maize prices are up 9%, a significant burden for countless households, while wheat and rice offer some relief, down 4% and 29% respectively. However, when compared to January 2020, maize prices remain a punishing 26% higher, underscoring the long-term inflationary pressures on essential foodstuffs.
The World Bank, in a recent exposé, highlighted a critical flaw in the global approach to agricultural support. Over US$800 billion annually in public funds aimed at the agriculture and food sector are largely “misaligned” with the goal of improving nutrition. The vast majority of this aid, it seems, continues to flow into the production of staple grains, sugar, and meat, leaving healthier, nutrient-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, and dairy woefully underserved. This fundamental misdirection of resources compounds the challenge of achieving true food security and better nutritional outcomes, particularly in regions where dietary diversity is already a struggle.
Furthermore, the World Bank’s 2025 State of Social Protection report sounds a sobering alarm: a staggering 2 billion people in low- and middle-income countries remain without, or with inadequate, social protection coverage. This vast chasm in safety nets leaves populations acutely vulnerable when faced with economic shocks, conflict, or climate disasters.
The World Bank’s African Lifelines
In response to this multifaceted crisis, the World Bank’s food and nutrition security portfolio has expanded significantly, now spanning 90 countries with an ambition to reach 327 million people by 2030. A significant portion of this critical investment is directed towards Africa, a continent grappling with some of the most severe manifestations of food insecurity.
In Honduras, the COMRURAL II and III projects demonstrate a proactive approach, fostering entrepreneurship and employment while integrating climate-conscious and nutrition-smart strategies into agri-food value chains. Similarly, the PROSASUR project in Honduras’s Dry Corridor has supported over 12,000 vulnerable families, leading to a notable improvement in dietary diversity among children and mothers.
For Eastern and Southern Africa, the World Bank has committed a formidable $2.75 billion through its Food Systems Resilience Program. Now in its third phase, this initiative is designed to bolster regional resilience, enhance inter-agency crisis response, and promote long-term efforts in sustainable agriculture, market access, and policy reforms.
Individual nations across the continent are also receiving crucial support. Malawi benefits from a $95 million IDA credit for its Agriculture Commercialization Project (AGCOM), aiming to boost commercialization and provide immediate crisis response. Madagascar has received a $200 million IDA grant to strengthen decentralised services, water supply, and, critically, enhance food and livelihood resilience in the drought-stricken ‘Grand Sud’.
In Burundi, a $60 million credit for the Integrated Community Development Project is empowering refugees and host communities, focusing on food and nutrition security, infrastructure development, and micro-enterprise. The Sahel Irrigation Initiative Regional Support Project, a $175 million undertaking, is transforming lives across Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal, providing vital irrigation for over 130,000 farmers and pastoralists.
Further tangible impacts are evident in the Central African Republic, where a $50 million Emergency Food Security Response project has provided seeds, tools, and training to 329,000 smallholder farmers, bolstering their resilience to climate and conflict. Guinea Bissau has seen over 72,000 farmers receive drought-resistant seeds and livestock vaccines through a $15 million project, alongside cash transfers to vulnerable households.
The World Bank is also championing innovative solutions through the $60 million Accelerating the Impact of CGIAR Research for Africa (AICCRA) project, reaching nearly 3 million African farmers with climate-smart agricultural tools and information. The West Africa Food Systems Resilience Program, a substantial $766 million initiative, is enhancing preparedness, digital advisory services, and regional market integration.
Beyond Africa, the Bank continues its global efforts, with significant investments in Yemen, Tajikistan, Jordan, Bolivia, Chad, Ghana and Sierra Leone (combined $315 million), Egypt, and Tunisia, addressing a spectrum of challenges from direct food access to agricultural resilience and vital import financing.
The international community has also stepped up, with the World Bank Group and G7 Presidency co-convening the Global Alliance for Food Security, launching the Global Food and Nutrition Security Dashboard for improved coordination. Echoing these sentiments, the heads of the FAO, IMF, World Bank Group, WFP, and WTO issued a joint statement in February 2023, urging urgent action to rescue hunger hotspots, facilitate trade, and reform harmful subsidies.
As the world grapples with a landscape increasingly defined by protectionism and conflict, the calls for a balanced approach – addressing immediate humanitarian needs while building long-term resilience – have never been more pressing. For Africa, a continent on the frontlines of this global challenge, the stakes could not be higher.
