Almost half of South Africans likely to go hungry in 2025, study finds

VIENNA – The number of people unable to meet their minimum food consumption needs in South Africa is expected to marginally decline to just under one in two by 2025, according to the World Data Lab.

The firm, which conducted research for Shoprite Holdings Ltd.’s food index, estimates that 49% of South Africans will be food insecure in two years’ time, down from 52% at the height of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

The Western Cape, Free State and Eastern Cape provinces are expected to show the biggest progress in addressing hunger.

While “the modeling shows an improvement by 2025, the reality is that in two years’ time just under half the population will still be struggling with hunger,” said Sanjeev Raghubir, Shoprite’s sustainability and corporate social investment head.

“That’s why we must urgently escalate the rate of people escaping food insecurity. Doing so will improve not only their prospects but that of the country.”