Global Hunger Declines Overall, But a Shadow Looms Over Africa and West Asia – Urgent Breaking News
The world is seeing a glimmer of hope in the fight against hunger, but a stark regional disparity is raising serious concerns. A new United Nations report, “The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2025,” reveals a decrease in global hunger rates, yet simultaneously highlights a troubling increase in food insecurity across Africa and West Asia. This breaking news underscores the complex and uneven impact of global economic forces and regional crises on access to food.
A Global Trend of Improvement, Tempered by Regional Challenges
According to the report, approximately 673 million people – 8.2 percent of the global population – experienced hunger in 2024. This represents a positive shift from 8.5 percent in 2023 and 8.7 percent in 2022. Between 638 and 720 million people were facing hunger in 2024, a decrease of 15 million from the previous year and 22 million from 2022. South Asia and Latin America have shown notable improvements, with Asia seeing a reduction in the prevalence of undernourishment from 7.9 percent to 6.7 percent (323 million people) and Latin America and the Caribbean experiencing a drop to 5.1 percent (34 million people).
However, this global progress is overshadowed by a concerning trend. Hunger continues to rise in most sub-regions of Africa and West Asia, where prolonged food crises are becoming increasingly common. More than 20 percent of the African population – a staggering 307 million people – faced hunger in 2024. In Western Asia, 12.7 percent of the population, or over 39 million people, are experiencing food insecurity. This divergence highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions in these vulnerable regions.
The Impact of Inflation and Global Disruptions
The report directly links the slowdown in global food security gains to the recent surge in food prices, fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and extreme weather events. From 2021 to 2023, global food price inflation consistently outpaced overall inflation, peaking in January 2023 at 13.6 percent – 5.1 percentage points higher than general inflation. Low-income countries were disproportionately affected, experiencing food price inflation as high as 30 percent in May 2023.
While the number of people unable to afford a healthy diet globally has slightly decreased (from 2.76 billion in 2019 to 2.60 billion in 2024), this improvement is unevenly distributed. Low-income countries have seen an increase in this number, rising from 464 million in 2019 to 545 million in 2024. This demonstrates that even as global conditions improve, affordability remains a critical barrier to food security for the most vulnerable populations.
Beyond Hunger: A Look at Nutritional Trends
The report doesn’t solely focus on hunger; it also examines broader nutritional trends. Positive developments include a decrease in growth retardation among children under 5, falling from 26.4 percent in 2012 to 23.2 percent in 2024. Exclusive breastfeeding rates have also increased significantly, rising from 37.0 percent in 2012 to 47.8 percent in 2023. However, challenges remain, with rates of overweight in children and anemia in women continuing to be a concern. Adult obesity is also on the rise, increasing from 12.1 percent in 2012 to 15.8 percent in 2022.
Looking Ahead: A Call for Urgent Action
The UN projects that 512 million people may still face chronic undernourishment by 2030, with almost 60 percent of them located in Africa. This grim forecast underscores the immense challenge of achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 – Zero Hunger. The five UN agencies behind the report – FAO, IFAD, WHO, WFP, and UNICEF – are urging increased investment in rural and agricultural transformation, social protection programs, and strategic investments in the agrifood sector.
As Cindy McCain, Executive Director of the World Food Programme, powerfully stated, “Hunger remains at an alarming level, and yet the funds necessary to remedy it are decreasing.” The need for sustained and targeted action is more critical than ever. This isn’t just a humanitarian crisis; it’s a threat to global stability and sustainable development. Stay informed about these critical issues and explore further insights on food security and global challenges at archyde.com, your source for breaking news and in-depth analysis.
