Number of people who are undernourished in Ghana
Ghana: Number of people who are undernourished was 2.10 million millions in 2023. ▼ Falling
Number of people who are undernourished in Ghana, 2001–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in millions.
Analysis
In 2023, number of people who are undernourished in Ghana stood at 2.10 million millions.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.0% on the previous year and down 4.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people who are undernourished in Ghana peaked at 3.00 million millions in 2001 and was at its lowest, 1.70 million millions, in 2009.
Ghana ranks 47th of 131 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.
Number of people who are undernourished in Ghana, year by year
| Year | millions | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 3.00 million millions | — |
| 2002 | 2.80 million millions | -6.7% |
| 2003 | 2.70 million millions | -3.6% |
| 2004 | 2.60 million millions | -3.7% |
| 2005 | 2.50 million millions | -3.8% |
| 2006 | 2.40 million millions | -4.0% |
| 2007 | 2.20 million millions | -8.3% |
| 2008 | 2.00 million millions | -9.1% |
| 2009 | 1.70 million millions | -15.0% |
| 2010 | 1.80 million millions | +5.9% |
| 2011 | 1.90 million millions | +5.6% |
| 2012 | 2.10 million millions | +10.5% |
| 2013 | 2.20 million millions | +4.8% |
| 2014 | 2.40 million millions | +9.1% |
| 2015 | 2.70 million millions | +12.5% |
| 2016 | 2.80 million millions | +3.7% |
| 2017 | 2.60 million millions | -7.1% |
| 2018 | 2.30 million millions | -11.5% |
| 2019 | 2.10 million millions | -8.7% |
| 2020 | 1.80 million millions | -14.3% |
| 2021 | 1.80 million millions | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 2.00 million millions | +11.1% |
| 2023 | 2.10 million millions | +5.0% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 2.10 million millions is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.60 million millions, 1.3× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 2.10 million millions is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.10 million millions, 1.0× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.43 million millions | 1.70 million millions | 3.00 million millions | 9 |
| 2010s | 2.29 million millions | 1.80 million millions | 2.80 million millions | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.93 million millions | 1.80 million millions | 2.10 million millions | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 44 Peru 2.30 million millions compare
- 44 Turkey 2.30 million millions compare
- 46 Ecuador 2.20 million millions compare
- 47 Guatemala 2.10 million millions compare
- 49 Benin 2.00 million millions compare
- 49 Colombia 2.00 million millions compare
- 49 Liberia 2.00 million millions compare
- 49 Sierra Leone 2.00 million millions compare
More reference data data for Ghana
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2805 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1989 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9405 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.9478 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 12.64 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.08 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people who are undernourished in Ghana?
- Number of people who are undernourished in Ghana was 2.10 million millions in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people who are undernourished recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 3.00 million millions in 2001.
- What is the lowest number of people who are undernourished recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.70 million millions in 2009.
- How does Ghana rank for number of people who are undernourished?
- Ghana ranks 47th out of 131 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of people who are undernourished rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people who are undernourished. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Undernourishment is measured as having a caloric intake that is insufficient to meet the minimum energy requirements necessary for a given individual.