Global hunger declines for third consecutive year, UN report finds

Tuesday 21 July 2026 - 17:32

By: Azzat Manal

Global hunger declines for third consecutive year, UN report finds

Global hunger levels continued to decline in 2025 for the third consecutive year, according to the latest edition of the United Nations report on the state of food security and nutrition worldwide.

The report estimates that between 608 million and 696 million people experienced hunger in 2025, representing between 7.4% and 8.5% of the world's population. This compares with an estimated 673 million people affected in 2024, equivalent to around 8.2% of the global population.

Despite the overall improvement, the United Nations warned that food insecurity remains a major global challenge. Rural communities continue to face greater difficulties in accessing sufficient food, while women are still more affected by food insecurity than men in many parts of the world.

Africa remains the region facing the most severe food insecurity. For the first time, the continent recorded the world's largest number of people experiencing hunger, with an estimated 309 million affected, representing around 20% of its population.

Asia recorded approximately 292 million people facing hunger, equivalent to about 6% of its population, while Latin America and the Caribbean reported around 32 million people affected, or approximately 4.8% of the regional population.

The report noted that progress has been particularly visible in Asia and Latin America, where hunger rates have continued to improve. In Africa, meanwhile, the rapid increase observed in previous years appears to have slowed, although the overall level of food insecurity remains significantly higher than in other regions.

Looking ahead, the United Nations expects the number of people facing hunger worldwide to decline to between 510 million and 520 million by 2030. However, Africa is projected to account for approximately 56% of the global total by that time, underlining the scale of the challenge facing the continent.

The report also highlighted the broader issue of food insecurity. Around 2.1 billion people, or 25.8% of the world's population, experienced moderate or severe food insecurity in 2025. This represented a decline of approximately 86 million people compared with 2024 and 135 million compared with 2020.

However, the figures underline persistent inequalities in access to food. Rural populations and women continue to face disproportionate risks, reflecting the impact of poverty, economic vulnerability and unequal access to resources.

The United Nations stressed that continued progress will depend on strengthening food systems, supporting vulnerable communities and addressing the economic and social factors that contribute to hunger. While the global trend is encouraging, the persistent disparities between regions and population groups demonstrate that achieving food security for all remains a major international priority.