A woman holding a child. Photo from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has launched its Africa Zero Hunger: United for Durable Solutions campaign, aiming to transform how hunger is addressed across the continent.
The campaign was unveiled today during a virtual event moderated by award-winning journalist Victoria Rubadiri.
It brought together African leaders, humanitarian actors, and innovators to champion long-term, community-driven responses.
A new approach to an old crisis
Across sub-Saharan Africa, more than 282 million people are undernourished, nearly one-third of the world’s food-insecure population.
In 2024 alone, 173 million people faced acute food insecurity, with women and children disproportionately affected.
The drivers of this crisis are deep-rooted. Recurrent droughts, flooding, and other climate shocks have eroded livelihoods.
Conflict and displacement continue to disrupt agricultural production and market systems. Weak food and social protection structures leave millions vulnerable to sudden shocks.
For the IFRC, this is not only a humanitarian emergency but also an opportunity to shift how responses are designed.
The Zero Hunger Campaign advocates for African-owned, sustainable solutions that foster resilience and reduce reliance on short-term food aid.
“It represents a turning point,” said Pierre Kremer, Deputy Regional Director, IFRC Africa.
“It’s moving from short-term food aid to lasting, community-driven change. For Africa, it’s a rallying call to end hunger by harnessing local ingenuity, climate-smart practices, and sustainable livelihoods.”
Grounded in African priorities
The initiative is being rolled out in Kenya, Ethiopia, DRC, Mali, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe, to reach 60 million vulnerable people in 15 countries by 2030.
It aligns with broader African and global commitments, including SDG 2 on Zero Hunger, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the Malabo Declaration on agricultural growth.
By anchoring the campaign in these frameworks, the IFRC signals that hunger solutions must be both locally led and globally supported.
The campaign will channel investment into:
- Climate-smart agriculture and ecosystem restoration
- Access to finance and markets
- Community-led social protection
- Women- and youth-led cooperatives
- Integrated food, health, and nutrition systems
Powered by local networks
Implementation will be driven through IFRC’s extensive network of African National Societies and more than one million volunteers embedded in communities across the continent.
Trusted at the grassroots level, these volunteers are already working side by side with families, farmers, and cooperatives.
Their presence helps ensure that solutions are culturally relevant and locally owned, making it easier to scale successful models.
By combining global solidarity with the strength of community networks, the IFRC hopes to prove that hunger can be tackled not only with aid, but with systems that withstand future shocks.
A call for collective action
The launch marks a significant milestone, but IFRC stresses that success requires wide participation.
The organization is calling on governments, donors, the private sector, civil society, media, and the African diaspora to expand and replicate proven approaches.
This collective effort, it says, can redefine Africa’s food security landscape, ensuring that millions no longer live one failed harvest away from crisis.
The campaign’s message is simple but urgent: Zero Hunger starts with us.
About the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
The IFRC is the world’s largest humanitarian network, supporting 191 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and reaching 160 million people each year through its community-based volunteers.
Guided by the principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence, the IFRC works to prevent and alleviate human suffering, promote resilience, and strengthen local capacity before, during, and after crises.
