The Global Report on Food Crisis (GRFC) 2023 estimated that about 258 million people in 58 food crisis countries and territories faced high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above or equivalent) and required urgent food assistance in 2022. This represents 22.7% of the population analysed and is the highest number in the seven-year history of the GRFC and 34% higher than the number presented in the GRFC 2022.

The trend of the total population in high levels of acute food insecurity presented by the different editions of the GRFC needs careful interpretation since the total population analysed in the report has also increased significantly over the years. In this sense, it is useful look at the evolution of the percentage of people in phase 3 or above or equivalent of the analysed populations in the same 38 countries analysed in all editions of the GRFC, which has increased from 13% in 2016 to 23% in 2022.

The GRFC identifies conflict and insecurity as the main driver of food crisis in 19 countries and territories in 2022. In these countries, the total number of people in phase 3 or above or equivalent were 117 million. In 2021, this number was 139 million and the countries and territories where conflict and insecurity was the main driver of food crisis were 24.

Economic shocks, including the socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 and the repercussions of Russia’s war against Ukraine, were the main driver of food crisis in 2022 in 27 countries with nearly 84 million people in IPC/CH Phase 3 or above or equivalent – up from about 30 million people in 21 countries in 2021.

Weather extremes were the main driver in 12 countries with nearly 57 million in Phase 3+ or above or equivalent - nearly 24 million people in 8 countries in 2021.

More than 40 percent of the population experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity resided in just five countries and territories: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Nigeria (21 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)) and Yemen.