Alarming levels of food insecurity in Ethiopia expose an untenable situation. A report the United Nations (UN) released last week is a disquieting reminder of the pervasive issue of hunger where approximately 70 million people are plagued by inconsistent access to meals, and over 25 million people go by days without food.

The report, authored by Marco V. Sánchez Cantillo and José Rosero Moncayo, was commissioned as part of the "The State of Food Security & Nutrition in the World 2023". A collaborative effort by the Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Program (WFP), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the World Health Organisation (WHO), the series examines urbanisation, agrifood systems transformation, and healthy diets on a global scale.

In Ethiopia, the data paints a bleak picture.

A startling 83pc of the population cannot afford a balanced, nutritious diet, which costs approximately 3.7 dollars a day on average. This struggle for food security is especially ironic given that 63pc of the average per capita income of 3.85 dollars is spent on food, positioning Ethiopia among the countries with high food budgeting.

The country's economic outlook has been rocked by surging inflation rates, oscillating above 30pc for the past year, and soaring to a dramatic 43pc high for food in May 2022.

However, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) recently touted an increase in per capita income surpassing the 1,000 dollars milestone under his administration. Yet, this economic marker falls woefully short in covering the cost of a healthy diet — one that provides a balanced mix of unprocessed or minimally processed foods across different food groups, crucial for preventing health issues such as stunting, wasting, and micronutrient deficiency.

Ethiopia's children under the age of five are among the world population suffering greatly from stunting (148 million) and wasting (45 million), representing a tragic 34pc and 6.2pc, respectively.

Despite the improved economic indicators, the country ranks among the top countries with malnourished populations.

Renowned nutritionist, Zelalem Debebe (MD), noted the long-standing impact of malnutrition on Ethiopian children. She noted that a child needs a consistent and rich diet after the age of six months — a basic necessity that is scarce in many parts of the country.

"Rural mothers struggle to prepare a meal a day," she told Fortune.

According to her, stunting has lifelong consequences, inhibiting the complete development of both physical and mental capacities in individuals. The combination of illiteracy and an underdeveloped culinary culture significantly affects the diversity and quality of diets.

The issue of food insecurity is not confined to Ethiopia but spreads across the globe, with nearly 2.4 billion people, mostly women and inhabitants of rural areas, lacking year-round access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food. Consequently, the rate of hunger has escalated across Africa, Western Asia, and the Caribbean, accompanied by rampant malnutrition, the report revealed.