The State of Global Food Banking 2018: Nourishing the World

Access The State of Global Food Banking 2018 here.

The world produces more than enough food for every human being on the planet. Still, 821 million people are chronically undernourished and facing food deprivation. At the same time, more than 1.3 billion tons of food is lost or wasted.

According to The State of Global Food Banking 2018: Nourishing the World, advancing the food banking model globally will play a critical role in achieving the Zero Hunger Sustainable Development Goal.

Food banks – which provide meals to those facing hunger through recovering surplus food – operate at the community level in dozens of countries.  The State of Global Food Banking 2018: Nourishing the World suggests that with greater support from global partners, this model could be replicated and scaled to help solve the hunger challenge. 

The State of Global Food Banking 2018: Nourishing the World is the first publication to profile food banks on a global scale and includes profiles of these food recovery organizations in more than 50 countries.  The study provides insights and demonstrates the effectiveness of the food banking model as a grassroots, community-led hunger intervention.

Key findings and conclusions presented in the report include:

  • Details on food banks served by The Global FoodBanking Network, operate in 31 countries, serving 7.78 million people, more than half of whom are children
  • Food banks are an environmental asset as they procure wholesome, surplus food that might otherwise end up as waste throughout the supply chain and redirect it away from landfills to social service organizations that feed the hungry
  • Because food banks’ success relies on the management of local community leaders rather than temporary foreign aid, the concept is positioned for long-term, sustainable success
  • Food banks can be adapted and tailored to work within specific countries’ laws and respond to different community needs
  • More than 60 million hungry women, children and families have access to food as a result of food banks

The Global FoodBanking Network intends to release a State of Global Food Banking report every year on World Food Day to update and provide status checks toward this goal.

The State of Global Food Banking 2018: Nourishing the World was made possible by the generous support of:

“With the international community’s goal of zeroing out hunger by 2030, the need for an effective method to address hunger and malnutrition has never been so clear,” said Lisa Moon, President and CEO, The Global FoodBanking Network. “As this report shows, food banking is a proven and locally adaptable solution in solving this pressing humanitarian challenge.”

Take Action

Food banking is a proven solution for nourishing communities through dedicated and unified action. Join us in creating a global network of food banks that empowers the world to defeat hunger.