By: David Shoombe
The 2025 Amnesty International Report indicates that the African Union (AU) has failed to reach its goal of eliminating hunger and food insecurity on the continent by 2025.
In 2014, the AU set an ambitious goal of eliminating hunger by 2025 and promoting food security. The continental evaluation showed that the dream remains far from realisation.
The latest report from Amnesty International states that more than 307 million people, representing 20% of the region’s population, were affected by hunger in 2025.
The regional analysis indicated that Africa continues to suffer from socioeconomic challenges, human rights abuse, and economic exploitation.
The report cited climate and economic changes, along with conflict-related shocks, as some of the reasons for Africa’s continued hunger crisis. This crisis is also reportedly attributed to the US’ decision to cut aid to the continent.
Moreover, data from the report illustrated that around 8,000 children in Madagascar were admitted to specialist health centres due to acute malnutrition. It is also reported that malnutrition increased in Malawi as a result of poor harvests.
In conflict-stricken countries such as South Sudan, serious food shortages were experienced, with about 28,000 people suffering from extreme hunger.
The report further indicated Africa’s increasing debts with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, as a result of the two entities’ reported failure to have fair lending terms for African countries, have contributed to the continent’s inability to meet food security targets.
The Africa Centre for Strategic Studies adds that in 2025, “The persistence of Africa’s conflicts has directly contributed to a record 167 million Africans facing acute food insecurity with an estimated 700,000 threatened by famine,” which indicates that there is a direct relationship between conflict and food insecurity.
In the Namibian context, the drought it experienced in 2024 was described as one of the worst in its history. The impacts of the drought contributed to the decline in production from the primary industry in 2025.
Namibia’s sub-3% economical growth between 2024 and 2025 led to insufficient job creation, in turn weakening poverty alleviation efforts.
