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UN: Global hunger falls for third year, but new threats loom
🇬🇷 Greece /Economy & Trade

UN: Global hunger falls for third year, but new threats loom

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Context piece
  • Global hunger decreased for the third consecutive year in 2025, with improvements across all continents, according to a UN report.
  • Approximately 645 million people, or 7.8% of the world's population, experienced hunger in 2025, down from 8.1% in 2024.
  • However, rising threats from climate events and international trade disruptions pose risks to future progress in food security.

Global hunger has declined for the third year in a row, reaching 7.8% of the world's population in 2025, according to a new United Nations report. This marks a significant improvement from 8.1% in 2024 and 8.6% in 2022, with progress observed across all continents, including a slight decrease in Africa.

Asia, particularly India, and Latin America and the Caribbean saw the most substantial improvements. Several African nations have begun to reverse years of worsening conditions, though Africa still has the highest number of undernourished people at 309 million, or one in five inhabitants. Experts anticipate hunger will continue to decrease until 2030 if no major setbacks occur.

Despite the positive trend, UN officials warn of significant threats to global food systems. Geopolitical tensions and extreme weather events are major concerns. Disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for energy and agricultural inputs, are increasing fuel, fertilizer, and transportation costs, impacting food production worldwide. A strong El Niño phenomenon could further strain vulnerable agricultural regions.

The big difference compared to previous years is that this year the hunger rate has decreased on all continents, including Africa, although very, very slightly.

— Massimo TorremochaChief Economist of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), commenting on the global hunger trend.

India, home to nearly a fifth of the global population, has shown remarkable progress, with its hunger rate falling below 10%. This improvement is attributed to targeted welfare programs and increased agricultural productivity. Positive results were also noted in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Senegal, and Zambia. The Dominican Republic is no longer on the global hunger map.

While the overall hunger figures have improved, child malnutrition remains high, and anemia in women is a persistent issue. The report, compiled by five UN agencies, focuses on long-term undernourishment rather than acute food crises caused by conflicts or natural disasters. The war in Gaza, for instance, did not significantly impact the overall statistics, although food deliveries to Gaza have increased, aiding stabilization.

We hope the trend does not change, but there are various risks affecting us right now.

— Massimo TorremochaChief Economist of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), warning about current threats to food security.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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