The 2025 edition of the United Nations' flagship report, The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI), brings a cautiously optimistic update: global hunger declined in 2024, with an estimated 8.2 percent of the population—about 673 million people—experiencing hunger. This marks a modest but meaningful improvement from 8.5 percent in 2023 and 8.7 percent in 2022. While this trend suggests progress in the global fight against hunger, the report also underscores a stark regional disparity, particularly in Africa and western Asia, where hunger continues to rise.

Global food security remains a complex issue, influenced by a range of challenges including economic volatility, conflict, and climate disruptions. The SOFI 2025 report, launched during the Second UN Food Systems Summit Stocktake in Addis Ababa, highlights that although hunger levels are slightly lower than in previous years, they still exceed pre-pandemic figures. This is due in part to high food inflation, which has slowed recovery efforts in many parts of the world.

A closer look at regional data reveals encouraging progress in southern Asia and Latin America. In Asia, the prevalence of undernourishment dropped from 7.9 percent in 2022 to 6.7 percent in 2024, translating to 323 million people. Latin America and the Caribbean also saw a decline, reaching a PoU of 5.1 percent in 2024, down from a peak of 6.1 percent in 2020. These gains demonstrate that targeted policies and investments can yield tangible improvements in food security and nutrition.

However, these positive developments are not mirrored everywhere. Africa and western Asia continue to face rising levels of hunger. In Africa, more than 307 million people—over 20 percent of the population—were affected in 2024. Western Asia saw an estimated 12.7 percent, or over 39 million people, experiencing hunger. These figures are particularly concerning given the projection that by 2030, 512 million people could be chronically undernourished, with nearly 60 percent residing in Africa.

One aspect of the report that I found striking is the persistent rise in food insecurity despite a global decline in hunger. From 2023 to 2024, the global prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity fell only slightly, from 28.4 to 28.0 percent, affecting 2.3 billion people. This is still 335 million more than in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, and 683 million more than in 2015, when the Sustainable Development Goals were adopted. These numbers reflect the ongoing struggle many households face in securing adequate food throughout the year.

Child nutrition indicators show mixed results. The global prevalence of stunting in children under five has declined from 26.4 percent in 2012 to 23.2 percent in 2024, indicating progress. However, child overweight and wasting rates have remained relatively stable, and anaemia among women aged 15 to 49 has increased from 27.6 percent in 2012 to 30.7 percent in 2023. On a more hopeful note, exclusive breastfeeding rates for infants under six months have risen significantly, from 37.0 percent in 2012 to 47.8 percent in 2023, a testament to growing awareness of its health benefits.

Food inflation continues to be a major obstacle. The report details how global food price inflation outpaced general inflation between 2020 and 2023, peaking in January 2023 at 13.6 percent. Low-income countries were hit hardest, with food price inflation reaching up to 30 percent in May 2023. These economic pressures have made it increasingly difficult for vulnerable populations to afford a healthy diet, especially in low- and lower-middle-income countries.

Despite these challenges, there has been some improvement in diet affordability. Globally, the number of people unable to afford a healthy diet fell from 2.76 billion in 2019 to 2.60 billion in 2024. However, this progress was uneven. In low-income countries, that number rose from 464 million to 545 million. Similarly, in lower-middle-income countries (excluding India), it surged from 79 million to 869 million. These figures highlight the growing inequality in access to nutritious food.

The report calls for a multi-pronged policy approach to address food price inflation and its impacts. Recommendations include time-bound fiscal measures such as social protection programs, transparent and credible monetary policies to manage inflation, and strategic investments in agricultural research, transportation infrastructure, and market information systems. These interventions aim to boost productivity and resilience in food systems, especially in regions where hunger remains entrenched.

Leaders of the UN agencies behind the report emphasized the urgency of sustained and coordinated action. FAO Director-General QU Dongyu noted the uneven nature of progress and stressed the need for collaboration across governments and communities. IFAD President Alvaro Lario highlighted the importance of investing in rural transformation, while UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell pointed to the critical need to support child nutrition through education and social programs. WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain warned that funding shortfalls could jeopardize recent gains, and WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for continued efforts to ensure access to nutritious diets for all.

As the world moves toward 2030 and the target of achieving Zero Hunger under SDG 2, the SOFI 2025 report serves as both a progress update and a call to action. While global hunger is declining, the uneven distribution of food insecurity and malnutrition demands targeted, inclusive, and sustained interventions. The road ahead will require not just resources, but also a renewed commitment to equity and resilience in the global food system.

Read more at who.int