Global hunger rates have declined, but the trend is not uniform across all regions. According to the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI 2025) report, an estimated 673 million people worldwide experienced hunger in 2024, representing a decrease of 15 million people from 2023. However, hunger continues to rise in most subregions of Africa and western Asia.
The proportion of the population facing hunger in Africa surpassed 20 percent in 2024, affecting 307 million people. In western Asia, an estimated 12.7 percent of the population, or more than 39 million people, may have faced hunger in 2024. “While it is encouraging to see a decrease in the global hunger rate, we must recognize that progress is uneven,” said QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General.
The global prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity decreased slightly, from 28.4 percent in 2023 to 28.0 percent in 2024, accounting for 2.3 billion people. However, this is still 335 million more than in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. The UN agencies warn that the world is far off track to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) by 2030.
According to the report, 512 million people could be chronically undernourished by 2030, with almost 60 percent of those in Africa. The report also examines the causes and consequences of the 2021-2023 food price surge and its impact on food security and nutrition. It highlights that low-income countries have been particularly hard hit by rising food prices, with median global food price inflation peaking at 30 percent in May 2023.
The agencies recommend a combination of policy responses to food price inflation, including targeted and time-bound fiscal measures, credible and transparent monetary policies, and strategic investments in agrifood R&D, transport, and production infrastructure. “We must work collaboratively and innovatively with governments, organizations, and communities to address the specific challenges faced by vulnerable populations, especially in regions where hunger remains persistent,” said QU Dongyu.
The report notes that the number of people unable to afford a healthy diet fell from 2.76 billion in 2019 to 2.60 billion in 2024. However, the improvement was uneven. In low-income countries, where the cost of a healthy diet rose more sharply than in higher-income countries, the number of people unable to afford a healthy diet increased from 464 million in 2019 to 545 million in 2024.
The UN agencies are calling for urgent action to address the issue of hunger and malnutrition. “Every child deserves the chance to grow and thrive. Yet over 190 million children under the age of 5 are affected by undernutrition, which can have negative consequences for their physical and mental development,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director.
“Hunger remains at alarming levels, yet the funding needed to tackle it is falling,” warned Cindy McCain, WFP Executive Director. “While the small reduction in overall rates of food insecurity is welcome, the continued failure to provide critical aid to people in desperate need will soon wipe out these hard-won gains, sparking further instability in volatile regions of the world.”
The report highlights the need for sustained efforts to address the root causes of hunger and malnutrition. “In recent years, the world has made good progress in reducing stunting and supporting exclusive breastfeeding, but there is still much to be done to relieve millions of people from the burdens of food insecurity and malnutrition,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.