Global hunger falls for a third year running

Global hunger fell for a third consecutive year in 2025, showing that sustained progress is possible even as the scale of the challenge remains immense.

The latest United Nations food security report estimates that 645 million people—7.8% of the world’s population—experienced hunger last year. That was nearly 14 million fewer than in 2024 and 43 million fewer than in 2022. Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean recorded steady improvements, suggesting that targeted support and stronger food systems can make a measurable difference.

But the progress is fragile and uneven. Africa is now home to around 309 million hungry people, while 2.1 billion people worldwide still experienced moderate or severe food insecurity. Almost one in three people could not afford a healthy diet.

The figures matter because they offer neither despair nor false reassurance. Hunger is moving in the right direction, but slowly. Protecting that progress will require investment in farming, transport, storage and social support, alongside action on conflict, climate shocks and rising food costs.