Ghana ranked 62 of 125 countries in 2023 Global Hunger Index
A global hunger index report published on its website has ranked Ghana 62 out of 125 countries as one of the countries with the most hungry population in the world.
Ghana, in the report, was ranked below countries such as Mauritius, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Nicaragua.
The country’s 62nd rank obtained in 2023, is however, an improvement from the 65th rank obtained in 2015.
Ghana currently battles with an inflation rate of 23.2% at end-December 2023 from the previous year’s inflation rate of 54% at end-December 2022 which was driven mainly by increments in food prices.
The report noted that the Global Hunger Index (GHI) serves as a comprehensive tool for measuring and monitoring hunger on a global, regional, and national scale.
It encompasses various dimensions of hunger over time, providing a thorough assessment of the issue.
“The GHI is intended to raise awareness and understanding of the struggle against hunger, provide a way to compare levels of hunger between countries and regions, and call attention to those areas of the world where hunger levels are highest and where the need for additional efforts to eliminate hunger is greatest,” the report noted.
Criteria for Assessment
The report highlights the GHI calculation process, emphasizing that the score for each country is determined by a formula integrating four indicators.
This approach aims to encapsulate the diverse facets of hunger comprehensively.
The four indicators include;
- Undernourishment: the share of the population whose caloric intake is insufficient;
- Child stunting: the share of children under the age of five who have low height for their age, reflecting chronic undernutrition;
- Child wasting: the share of children under the age of five who have low weight for their height, reflecting acute undernutrition; and
- Child mortality: the share of children who die before their fifth birthday, reflecting in part the fatal mix of inadequate nutrition and unhealthy environments.
