Global Hunger Declines in 2025, Risks Persist

Global hunger fell for a third straight year in 2025 to about 645 million people (7.8% of the world’s population), yet the advances are uneven and insufficient to meet 2030 targets. Africa now hosts the largest number of hungry people, about 309 million, even as its hunger rate edges downward to roughly 20.0% amid rapid population growth. While Asia and Latin America showed steady improvements, sub-Saharan Africa’s progress remains fragile and regional disparities persist in access to healthy food, with two-thirds of Africans unable to afford a healthy diet. Experts warn that conflicts, climate shocks, and rising costs from disruptions like El Niño and shipping chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz threaten to reverse gains, potentially pushing more people into hunger by 2030. In South Africa, looting and social unrest are framed as symptoms of chronic poverty and economic exclusion, highlighting that hunger and inequality persist even in middle-income states. Taken together, the reports emphasize that while hunger declines are real, far more targeted and sustained action is needed to address climate, conflict, and inequality that drive food insecurity.