Global Hunger Falls for Third Straight Year, but Food Security Remains Fragile Across the World

Global hunger has declined for a third consecutive year, offering a measure of hope in the fight against food insecurity. However, the improvement remains slow, uneven and vulnerable to conflict, climate shocks, rising production costs and the high price of nutritious food.

The latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2026 report, prepared by five United Nations agencies, estimates that 7.8 percent of the world’s population experienced hunger in 2025. That was down from 8.1 percent in 2024 and 8.6 percent in 2022. In absolute terms, approximately 645 million people faced hunger in 2025.

Although the decline represents progress, the world remains far from achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of ending hunger by 2030.

Hunger Is Declining, but Not Everywhere

The global decline in hunger masks substantial regional differences.

Some regions have made meaningful progress, while others continue to experience worsening food insecurity because of conflict, displacement, economic instability and climate-related disruptions.

The uneven nature of the recovery is one of the central messages of the 2026 food-security assessment.

A global reduction in the percentage of people experiencing hunger does not necessarily mean that individual countries are becoming more food secure.

In fragile and conflict-affected areas, millions of families continue to face severe shortages of food and limited access to humanitarian assistance.

Around 645 Million People Faced Hunger

The estimated 645 million people experiencing hunger in 2025 represent a reduction of approximately 14 million people compared with 2024 and about 43 million fewer than in 2022.

The decline demonstrates that coordinated policies, agricultural production, social protection and humanitarian assistance can make a difference.

However, the remaining number is still enormous.

Hundreds of millions of people are unable to obtain enough food regularly, while many others may have sufficient calories but lack access to a nutritious and balanced diet.

This distinction is increasingly important in global food policy.

The Cost of a Healthy Diet Is a Major Problem

The 2026 SOFI report places particular emphasis on the high cost of a healthy diet.

Having food available does not automatically mean that people can afford the foods needed for good nutrition.

Fruits, vegetables, pulses, nuts, dairy products, eggs and other nutritious foods can be more expensive than calorie-dense staples in many markets.

Poor households often have to make difficult choices between quantity, price and nutritional quality.

As a result, food insecurity can exist even when markets are adequately supplied.

The report therefore examines not only hunger but also whether people can realistically afford a healthy diet.

Global Food Supplies Remain Broadly Adequate

The World Bank’s June 2026 Food and Nutrition Security Update provides an important contrast.

It says that global food supplies remain broadly adequate, but higher costs and supply-chain disruptions continue to place pressure on food prices.

This means the world’s food-security challenge is not simply about producing enough food.

Distribution, affordability, purchasing power and access are equally important.

A country can have adequate food supplies while some households still struggle to buy enough nutritious food.

Fertilizer Costs Are Adding Pressure

Agricultural production is facing another major challenge: fertilizer prices.

According to the World Bank, global fertilizer prices increased by approximately 35 percent during the first five months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025.

Higher fertilizer costs can increase farmers’ production expenses.

If farmers reduce fertilizer applications because of high prices, crop yields could eventually be affected.

The consequences may extend beyond farms, potentially influencing food prices and household budgets.

Climate Change Is Increasing the Risk

Climate conditions are another major factor shaping the global food outlook.

Droughts, floods, heatwaves and changing rainfall patterns can damage crops and reduce agricultural productivity.

The World Bank has also highlighted the potential impact of an emerging El Niño on global food production.

Its June 2026 assessment estimated a 61–87 percent probability of El Niño emerging by mid-2026 and continuing into 2027.

If strong El Niño conditions develop, some regions could experience serious agricultural disruptions.

The World Bank warned that rice production could decline by 20 to 50 percent in affected regions, with South Asia, Southern Africa and parts of East Asia particularly exposed.

Conflict Remains a Major Driver of Hunger

Conflict continues to be one of the strongest drivers of acute food insecurity.

The 2026 Global Report on Food Crises found that acute food insecurity remained widespread across countries affected by food crises in 2025.

For the first time in the report’s decade-long history, two famines were confirmed during the same year—in parts of Gaza and Sudan.

The situation demonstrates how quickly conflict can disrupt food production, markets, transportation and humanitarian access.

War can also force farmers to abandon their land and families to flee their homes, further weakening local food systems.

Hunger Hotspots Remain a Serious Concern

The latest FAO-WFP Hunger Hotspots report identifies several areas where acute food insecurity is expected to worsen between June and November 2026.

Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen and Palestine are identified among the world’s most critical hunger hotspots in terms of the severity and scale of hunger.

These areas face overlapping challenges, including conflict, displacement, economic instability, restricted humanitarian access and disrupted food markets.

The risks are particularly severe for children and other vulnerable groups.

The Middle East Could Create Additional Food Risks

The World Food Programme has warned that continuing conflict and economic disruption in the Middle East could significantly increase global food insecurity.

In March 2026, WFP warned that around 45 million additional people could be pushed into acute hunger if the escalation continued to destabilize the global economy.

Energy and transportation disruptions can quickly affect food markets.

Countries that depend heavily on imported food or fuel are particularly vulnerable to sudden increases in global prices.

Food Prices Remain Important

The FAO Food Price Index is one of the key indicators used to monitor international food commodity prices.

In June 2026, the index averaged 130.3 points, down 0.3 percent from May but still 2.2 percent higher than a year earlier.

The overall movement was relatively modest, but individual commodities behaved differently.

Cereal, sugar and dairy prices declined, while vegetable-oil and meat prices increased.

This illustrates why global food-price trends cannot be understood through a single commodity.

Nutrition Is More Than Calories

Food security is increasingly being measured through nutrition as well as hunger.

A person may consume enough calories but still lack essential vitamins, minerals, protein or other nutrients.

Poor nutrition can affect children’s growth, learning ability and long-term health.

For adults, inadequate diets can increase vulnerability to disease and reduce productivity.

This is why making healthy diets affordable is central to achieving long-term food security.

Children Face the Greatest Risks

Children are particularly vulnerable to food insecurity and malnutrition.

Inadequate nutrition during early childhood can have consequences that continue throughout life.

The effects can include impaired growth, weakened immunity and developmental difficulties.

Conflict and displacement can make these risks even greater because families may lose access to healthcare, clean water and stable food supplies.

Social Protection Can Help

Social-protection programmes can provide an important buffer when food prices rise or household incomes fall.

Cash transfers, school meals, food assistance and other support programmes can help vulnerable families maintain access to food.

However, the effectiveness of such programmes depends on their coverage, financing and ability to reach people in crisis situations.

Strengthening social protection can therefore be an important part of long-term food-security planning.

Agriculture Needs Greater Resilience

Farmers are increasingly expected to produce food under difficult conditions.

Climate change, high input costs, water shortages and market volatility can all affect agricultural decisions.

Investments in climate-resilient crops, irrigation, improved storage, agricultural research and efficient supply chains could help reduce future risks.

Small farmers are particularly important because they often have fewer financial resources to absorb sudden losses.

Global Cooperation Remains Essential

No country can solve the global food-security problem alone.

Food markets are interconnected through international trade.

A disruption in one major producing region can influence prices elsewhere.

International organisations, governments, development banks and humanitarian agencies therefore need to coordinate efforts to improve food production, trade, nutrition and emergency assistance.

Better data and early-warning systems can also help governments respond before food crises become catastrophic.

The Road to 2030 Is Getting Shorter

The Sustainable Development Goals call for ending hunger and all forms of malnutrition by 2030.

The latest statistics show that progress is possible, but the current pace is not sufficient.

The decline from 8.6 percent of the global population facing hunger in 2022 to 7.8 percent in 2025 is encouraging, but hundreds of millions remain affected.

Accelerating progress will require simultaneous action on food affordability, conflict, climate resilience, agricultural productivity and social protection.

Conclusion

The latest global food-security statistics tell a mixed story.

On one side, global hunger has declined for three consecutive years, falling to an estimated 7.8 percent of the world’s population in 2025, or approximately 645 million people.

On the other, food insecurity remains deeply entrenched in conflict-affected and climate-vulnerable regions.

Global food supplies are broadly adequate, but affordability remains a major obstacle. Fertilizer prices have risen sharply, climate risks are increasing and conflicts continue to disrupt food systems.

The biggest lesson from the latest statistics is that food security is not simply about producing enough food.

People must also be able to afford nutritious diets, reach functioning markets and access assistance when crises occur.

With only a few years remaining before the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal deadline, the world faces a critical choice: accelerate investment in resilient food systems and nutrition now, or risk allowing today’s fragile progress to reverse.

The decline in global hunger proves that progress is possible—but making that progress permanent will require stronger action on affordability, conflict, climate resilience and access to nutritious food.