New report flags rise in food insecurity, malnutrition for sixth consecutive year

Conflict, economic shocks, extreme weather, and forced displacement drove food insecurity and malnutrition around the world in the year 2024, when more than 295 million people across vulnerable regions in 53 countries and territories experienced acute levels of hunger– an increase of 13.7 million from 2023, stated the Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC), released on 16 May 2025.

This marks the fifth consecutive year in which this figure has remained above 20% and the sixth consecutive year of rising acute food insecurity and child malnutrition in the world’s most fragile regions.

The report predicts a bleak future for 2025 when unabated or intensifying conflict will again be a major driver of acute food insecurity. Escalating economic tensions have weakened growth prospects following successive years of economic shocks, and climate change will continue to drive Earth’s warming trend, with weather extremes becoming more frequent and severe.

According to the report, the worsening prevalence of acute food insecurity – 22.6% of the population assessed – is of great concern. India was not among the 63 countries analyzed, but its neighbors, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Afghanistan were part of the report.

The number of people facing catastrophic hunger (IPC/CH Phase 5) more than doubled over the same period to reach 1.9 million – the highest on record since the GRFC began tracking in 2016.

The annual GRFC report, coordinated by the Food Security Information Network (FSIN) for the Global Network Against Food Crises (GNAFC), is a collaboration among partners consisting of regional intergovernmental bodies, donors, technical bodies, clusters and United Nations agencies.

“It is another unflinching indictment of a world dangerously off course,” said United Nations secretary-general António Guterres. “Long-standing crises are now being compounded by another, more recent one – the dramatic reduction in lifesaving humanitarian funding to respond to these needs. This is more than a failure of systems – it is a failure of humanity. Hunger in the 21st century is indefensible. We cannot respond to empty stomachs with empty hands and turned backs.”

Malnutrition, particularly among children, was extremely high in the Gaza Strip, Mali, Sudan, and Yemen. Nearly 38 million children under five were acutely malnourished across 26 nutrition crises.

The report also highlights a sharp increase in hunger driven by forced displacement, with nearly 95 million forcibly displaced people—including internally displaced persons (IDPs), asylum seekers and refugees— living in countries facing food crises such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Colombia, Sudan, and Syria, out of a global total of 128 million forcibly displaced people.

QU Dongyu, director-general, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), says, “As we launch the 2025 Global Report on Food Crises, we are cognizant that acute food insecurity is not just a crisis – it is a constant reality for millions of people, most of whom live in rural areas. The path forward is clear: investment in emergency agriculture is critical, not just as a response, but as the most cost-effective solution to deliver significant long-lasting impact.”

The key drivers

Conflict was the top reason, affecting around 140 million people in 20 countries and territories. Famine was seen in Sudan, while other hotspots with people experiencing catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity include the Gaza Strip, South Sudan, Haiti, and Mali.

Economic shocks, including inflation and currency devaluation, drove hunger in 15 countries, affecting 59.4 million people, still nearly double pre-Covid-19 levels despite a modest decline from 2023.

Some of the largest and most protracted food crises were primarily driven by economic shocks, including in Afghanistan, South Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic, and Yemen.

Weather extremes, particularly El Niño-induced droughts and floods, pushed 18 countries into food crises affecting over 96 million people, with significant impacts in Southern Africa, Southern Asia and the Horn of Africa.

Need to break the cycle

The report calls for a bold reset to break the cycle of food crises. Acute food insecurity and malnutrition have increased to record levels, yet global funding is experiencing its fastest decline in years, and political momentum is weakening, it says.

Breaking the cycle of rising hunger and malnutrition requires prioritizing evidence-driven and impact-focused action. This means pooling resources, scaling what works, and putting the needs and voices of affected communities at the heart of every response.

Beyond emergency aid, the Global Network Against Food Crises recommends investing in local food systems and integrated nutrition services to address long-term vulnerabilities and build resilience to shocks, especially in crisis-prone regions where 70 percent of rural households rely on agriculture for sustenance and livelihood.

Axel van Trotsenburg, senior managing director for Development Policy and Partnerships, World Bank, says the global hunger crisis threatens not just lives, but the stability and potential of entire societies. “What is needed now is collective action so we can build a future free of hunger.”

Cindy McCain, executive director, World Food Progamme (WFP), warned that like every other humanitarian organization, WFP is facing deep budget shortfalls, which have forced drastic cuts to our food assistance programs. “Millions of hungry people have lost, or will soon lose, the critical lifeline we provide. We have tried and tested solutions to hunger and food insecurity. But we need the support of our donors and partners to implement them.”

According to Raouf Mazou, assistant high commissioner for operations, UNHCR, displaced people show remarkable strength, but resilience alone can’t end hunger. As food insecurity worsens and humanitarian crises become more prolonged, there is a need to shift from emergency aid to sustainable responses. “That means creating real opportunities—access to land, livelihoods, markets and services—so people can feed themselves and their families, not just today, but well into the future.”