Counting the Beans
2020
This interactive from the World Food Programme (WFP) highlights the glaring disparity in food affordability around the world, illustrating the cost of a meal relative to daily income, or the “purchasing power,” of 20 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. The data indicates how simple ingredients for a stew costs 0.6 percent of a person’s daily income in New York, United States, as compared to 186 percent of a daily income in South Sudan. The disparities in food access and affordability illustrated by this data are a result of several major factors, including conflict, climate extremes, and weak markets. The data specifically considers the impact of COVID-19 on food affordability in 2020, as vulnerable groups faced increased unemployment, trade restrictions, and weakened economies due to the pandemic, exacerbating hunger worldwide. Users can learn more about each country’s context and view a food index, which ranks food affordability across countries featured in the report. The interactive outlines the various challenges contributing to the lack of access to affordable food for millions, highlighting the work needed in developing sustainable food systems around the world.
Source:
Counting the Beans: The True Cost of a Plate of Food Around the World. World Food Programme 2020. https://cdn.wfp.org/2020/plate-of-food.