Despite decades of global pledges and billions of dollars in aid, hunger remains one of the world’s gravest and most persistent challenges, with signs of worsening outcomes.

Diplomats, development experts, and agribusiness leaders warned that conflicts, climate change, and post-harvest losses are deepening food insecurity across Africa and beyond.

This was the crux of discussions yesterday at World Food Day 2025 commemoration held in Lagos, themed ‘Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future’, organised by Hope for Life Initiative.

Consul General of Germany in Lagos, Daniel Krull, stated that in 2024 alone, about 295 million people across 53 countries suffered from acute food insecurity, 13.7 million more than the previous year.

“Hunger is not a privilege; it is a universal human right. Yet millions still go to bed hungry every night,” Krull said.

He listed violent conflicts, economic instability, climate shocks, and rising inequality, as key drivers of the crisis, warning that the global food system is under immense pressure.

In countries such as Nigeria, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Bangladesh, more than 23 million people are facing acute hunger, while chronic hunger affected 673 million people worldwide in 2024, nearly one in every twelve people.

Krull reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to global food security, noting that the country remains the second-largest donor to the UN World Food Programme (WFP). In 2024, the German Federal Foreign Office committed €661 million to food security programmes, with additional support from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) focused on resilience building in Africa and the Middle East.

However, he acknowledged the financial strain facing global donors, citing a 22 per cent reduction in Germany’s humanitarian contributions from 2023 to 2024.

“The global hunger crisis demands solidarity, coordination, and shared accountability. No single country or organisation can solve it alone,” he added.

Senior Sales Manager, Diary Powders and Nutritionals, GEA Group, Martin Skanderby, said the key issue is not just production, but the logistics and storage gaps that lead to wastage in Nigeria.

“Nigeria needs to overhaul its logistics chain. Huge losses occur between the farm and the market. Cooperative models, shared infrastructure, and technology adoption can change that story,” Skanderby said.

Chief Executive Officer, Hope for Life Initiative, Kendi Aig-Imoru, said that tackling hunger requires connecting local innovation with global solidarity.

Acording to her, since its founding in 2017, the NGO has championed awareness campaigns, school nutrition programmes, and community-based agricultural initiatives aimed at improving diets and empowering smallholder farmers.

“Ending hunger is not just a development goal, it’s a moral obligation. We must work hand in hand to ensure every child, family, and farmer thrives with dignity,” she said.

President, Netcom Africa, Yen Choi, underscored the economic potential of fixing post-harvest inefficiencies. He argued that if each of Nigeria’s 100 million farmers could earn just one dollar more daily through improved farming and storage practices, the agricultural sector could rival oil in national revenue contribution.

“Reducing post-harvest loss by even a fraction could inject $100 million daily into the economy. It’s not about producing more, it’s about losing less,” he said.