What is the Global Hunger Index?

The Global Hunger Index (GHI) is an annual report jointly published by Welthungerhilfe (Germany) and Concern Worldwide (Ireland) to measure hunger at global, regional, and national levels.

In its basic concept, GHI was developed to ensure the world achieves ‘Zero Hunger’ by 2030 as a part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015. 
 
It was created in 2006 and was initially published by IFPRI - International Food Policy Research Institute (USA) & Welthungerhilfe (Germany). In 2007 Concern worldwide (Ireland) became the co-publisher. In 2018, IFPRI stepped aside from the project and now GHI was published jointly by Welthungerhilfe, Concern worldwide.

After steadily declining for the past two decades, world hunger is on the rise again affecting 828 million people which is nearly 10 percent of people globally. According to a report from Save the Children and Oxfam, “One person is likely dying of hunger every 48 seconds in drought-ravaged Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia.” The current Global Hunger Index (GHI) points to an acute hunger situation in a world coping with multiple crises including conflict, climate change, and the Covid-19 pandemic.