Global hunger declines slowly in 2025 as millions remain food insecure

11:25

By: Azzat Manal

Global hunger declines slowly in 2025 as millions remain food insecure

Global hunger declined for the third consecutive year in 2025, but the pace of improvement remains slow and uneven, according to the latest estimates from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and other UN agencies. Around 645 million people were estimated to have faced hunger during the year, representing 7.8 percent of the world's population.

The figure marks a reduction of nearly 14 million people compared with 2024 and 43 million compared with 2022, when global hunger reached a recent peak. The FAO said the figures point to a gradual improvement, while warning that progress remains fragile and insufficient to meet the Sustainable Development Goal of ending hunger by 2030.

Regional differences remain significant. Africa accounted for about 309 million people experiencing hunger in 2025, compared with 292 million in Asia and 32 million in Latin America and the Caribbean. Hunger affected around 20 percent of Africa's population, compared with 6 percent in Asia and 4.8 percent in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The latest estimates also indicate that the long-term rise in hunger in Africa has begun to stabilize, although the continent now has the world's largest number of undernourished people in absolute terms. Population growth and continuing economic and humanitarian pressures remain important factors shaping the region's food security situation.

Beyond chronic hunger, food insecurity remains widespread. About 2.1 billion people experienced moderate or severe food insecurity in 2025, around 86 million fewer than a year earlier. However, the figure remains substantial, underscoring the gap between the recent improvement and universal access to sufficient and nutritious food.

The FAO's assessment also highlights the importance of affordable healthy diets. Despite the decline in hunger, a large share of the global population continues to face difficulties in accessing nutritious food, with economic pressures and unequal access to resources limiting progress in many communities.

Humanitarian needs also remain concentrated in countries affected by conflict, economic instability and climate-related shocks. The United Nations continues to stress the importance of resilient food systems, social protection and support for vulnerable populations to prevent temporary crises from turning into prolonged food insecurity.

While the decline recorded in 2025 provides evidence of progress, the latest figures show that hundreds of millions of people still face chronic hunger. The FAO and its UN partners say sustained action will be needed to preserve recent gains and accelerate progress toward the goal of ending hunger worldwide by 2030.