Poll finds Aussies are 'clueless' about African and Yemen famines

Two-thirds of Australians have no idea 23 million people are starving in parts of east Africa and Yemen, a new opinion poll shows.

Essential Media surveyed 1013 people about their knowledge of the famine in Africa and willingness to donate, on behalf of aid group Caritas Australia.

Almost a quarter of those surveyed said they would donate if they knew about the crisis.

Caritas Australia chief executive Paul O'Callaghan said during the Ethiopian famine of 1984, thousands of Australians took action and made donations as part of the Live Aid concerts to end poverty and hunger.

"This time the scale is larger but it is just not on our radar," he said, adding he had recently returned from Kenya where three million people are at risk of starvation.