Rome, Italy – A new report released by the United Nations reveals that global hunger rates fell for the third consecutive year in 2025, buoyed by improving food security metrics across all continents. However, UN agencies warned that accelerating climate shocks, trade route disruptions, and geopolitical tensions could jeopardize these gains in the coming years.
Sustained Decline in Global Hunger Metrics
According to The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI 2026) report—jointly published by five UN agencies, including the FAO, IFAD, and UNICEF—an estimated 645 million people suffered from chronic hunger in 2025, representing 7.8% of the global population. This represents a steady decline from 8.1% in 2024 and 8.6% in 2022.
The report attributed the global improvement primarily to gains in Asia, particularly India, alongside sustained recovery in Latin America and the Caribbean. Furthermore, several African nations began showing initial signs of stabilization after years of compounding food insecurity.
Africa Remains Most Affected Despite Broader Gains
Despite the positive global trajectory, Africa remains the hardest-hit continent, with 309 million people affected by undernourishment—equivalent to one in every five residents.
Maximo Torero, Chief Economist at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), noted that the defining highlight of the 2025 data is that hunger declined across every continent, including Africa, even though progress in the African region remains modest and fragile.
Geopolitical Tensions and Climate Shocks Threaten Gains
The UN report cautioned that potential trade bottlenecks in critical maritime passages such as the Strait of Hormuz, combined with high fertilizer, fuel, and shipping costs, pose significant risks. Additionally, the potential return of a strong El Niño pattern threatens global crop production and supply chain resilience.
Torero emphasized that climate volatility and regional conflicts represent the most severe obstacles to keeping global hunger reduction on track toward 2030 development goals. Commenting on regional impacts, Torero noted that while the war in Gaza did not significantly alter global chronic hunger totals, it inflicted extensive damage on the enclave’s local agricultural infrastructure, which will require years of rehabilitation.
Three consecutive years of falling global hunger demonstrate the impact of agricultural recovery and economic support across Asia and Latin America. However, sustaining this momentum depends on mitigating maritime trade disruptions and building resilience against severe climate shocks.
