Range of Sub-Saharan Africans Likely to Feel Food Price Hikes

April 4, 2011. Gallup does an annual ‘world poll’ in 100 countries and this year focussed on food security, especially in Sub Saharan Africa. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The current spike in global food prices is likely to affect substantial numbers of sub-Saharan Africans who were already struggling to afford food. A median of 57% of residents across 28 countries that Gallup surveyed in 2009 and 2010 said there were times in the past 12 months when they did not have enough money to buy the food that they or their families needed. This percentage was as high as 87% in the Central African Republic and higher than 60% in several countries.

Findings?

• Sub-Saharan Africans perceive agriculture (20%) and jobs (19%) as the most important issues for their governments to address
• Two-thirds (66%) of sub-Saharan Africans say their government is not doing enough to help people get food
• Nearly 6 in 10 (59%) say there have been times in the last 12 months when they did not have enough money to buy the food that they or their family needed
• Over a third of sub-Saharan Africans say they or their families have gone without food in the last 12 months several times, many times or always
• Sub-Saharan Africans across 26 countries rank reducing poverty and reducing hunger as the top two most important goals

Survey Methods

Results are based on face-to-face interviews with approximately 1,000 adults, aged 15 and older, conducted in 2009 and 2010 in 28 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Surveys were conducted in both years in all countries except Burundi, Congo (Kinshasa), Ivory Coast, Malawi, Rwanda, and Zambia. In those cases, 2009 results are reported alongside 2010 results. Surveys in 2010 were conducted between February and December. Surveys in 2009 were conducted between August and November, except for the Ivory Coast where surveys were conducted in April.