Publication

2016: Global Hunger Index: Africa Edition

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170315_GHI 2016 Africa Edition_EN_web.pdf

The Africa Edition of the Global Hunger Index measures hunger in the countries of Africa and is an adaptation of the Global Hunger Index (GHI), which measures hunger throughout the developing world. The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has calculated GHI scores each year since 2006 to assess progress, or the lack thereof, in combating hunger. The GHI Africa Edition, published for the first time in 2016, consists of the data, scores, and analysis from the GHI that are relevant to Africa, along with additional content. The methodology and data sources used for the Africa Edition are the same as those for the GHI and are described below. To capture the multidimensional nature of hunger, GHI scores are based on the following four indicators:

  • UNDERNOURISHMENT: the proportion of undernourished people as a percentage of the population (reflecting the share of the population with insufficient caloric intake);
  • CHILD WASTING: the proportion of children under the age of five who are wasted (that is, have low weight for their height, reflecting acute undernutrition);
  • CHILD STUNTING: the proportion of children under the age of five who are stunted (that is, have low height for their age, reflecting chronic undernutrition); and 
  • CHILD MORTALITY: the mortality rate of children under the age of five (partially reflecting the fatal synergy of inadequate nutrition and unhealthy environments).