Food is a basic necessity of life; however, its availability is not universal. Food security remains a significant challenge on a continent like Africa, affecting millions of people across its countries to varying degrees.
Several factors contribute to this issue, including climate change, poverty, and inadequate infrastructure. Additionally, challenges such as currency fluctuations and geopolitical tensions, exemplified by events like the Russian-Ukraine war, have affected the global supply chain of agricultural produce and inputs.
With the continent’s population booming, the delicate dance of supply and demand is under even more pressure. More people translate to more mouths to feed, adding stress to an already stretched-out system.
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The report reveals that it will continue to rise in the coming months, driven by the intensifying disruption of market functionality and trade flows, anticipation of below-average harvests, and high fuel and transportation costs.
Food inflation for each country is based on the latest month from October 2023 to January 2024 for which the food component of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and overall CPI data are available. Real food inflation is defined as food inflation minus overall inflation.
Below are the African countries hit hardest by food inflation in February:
| Rank | Country | % year on year |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Zimbabwe |
26% |
|
2 |
Egypt |
18% |
|
3 |
Malawi |
9% |
|
4 |
Guinea |
6% |