Europe and Central Asia

Despite recent challenges, the region of Europe and Central Asia is mostly on track to achieve low hunger by 2030.

Reductions are linked to improvements in agricultural production and productivity, driven by economic and income growth, and an overall increase in food availability, stability, and access.

The regional GHI score exhibited notable progress between 2000 and 2016, though this progress has largely come to a standstill since 2016, albeit at a low level. Reductions are linked to improvements in agricultural production and productivity, driven by economic and income growth, and an overall increase in food availability, stability, and access (Dupouy and Gurinovic 2020; FAO 2019). Turkmenistan and Tajikistan have the highest GHI scores, although Tajikistan has made remarkable progress thanks to rapid economic growth driven by remittances and agriculture. However, climate change poses a significant obstacle to Tajikistan’s food and nutrition security goals (Khakimov et al. 2024).

Conversely, Ukraine and Albania have seen slight increases in their GHI scores. Prevalence of undernourishment has been on the rise in Ukraine, while Albania’s score is influenced by an apparent deterioration in child nutrition. Worryingly, moderate and severe food insecurity has been increasing in recent years (FAO et al. 2024a). The region has faced significant challenges linked to COVID-19, adverse weather events, and the Russo-Ukrainian War, which has fueled displacement; raised food, energy, and agricultural costs; and reduced purchasing power. Despite agriculture’s economic significance, almost all countries in the region are underinvesting in the sector (FAO 2023a).

Hunger Hotspots

Turkmenistan and Tajikistan have the highest GHI scores, although Tajikistan has made remarkable progress thanks to rapid economic growth driven by remittances and agriculture.

Ukraine and Albania have seen slight increases in their GHI scores. The prevalence of undernourishment has been on the rise in Ukraine, while Albania’s score is influenced by an apparent deterioration in child nutrition.

Figure 1.2

REGIONAL 2000, 2008, 2016, AND 2024 GLOBAL HUNGER INDEX SCORES

Source: Authors. Note: See Methodology for data sources. The regional and global GHI scores are calculated using regional and global aggregates for each indicator and the formula described in the Methodology. The regional and global aggregates for each indicator are calculated as population-weighted averages, using the indicator values reported in Appendix B. For countries lacking undernourishment data, provisional estimates provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) were used to calculate aggregates only but are not reported in Appendix B. Appendix D shows which countries are included in each region.