Global Hunger Falls for Third Year to 7.8%

Overview

• The UN report 'State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World', released Tuesday, finds chronic undernourishment fell in 2025 to about 645 million people, or 7.8% of the global population.
• Much of the improvement came from Asia, with India credited for driving the region's gains through targeted social programs and higher farm productivity.
• Despite the drop in hunger numbers, 2.69 billion people still cannot afford a healthy diet priced at roughly US$4.28 per day in purchasing-power terms and 66.1% of Africans lack that affordability.
• The report highlights persistent malnutrition trends, including high child undernutrition, rising anemia in women, and increasing adult obesity, and notes that emergency food deliveries to Gaza have risen while agricultural rebuilding there will take years.
• UN experts warn that shipping disruptions affecting the Strait of Hormuz, higher transport and input costs, and a potentially strong El Niño could raise food production costs and threaten the recent progress through 2030.