Global hunger has declined for the third consecutive year, offering some positive news after years of rising food insecurity. However, the latest United Nations report says the world is still far from ending hunger, as the number of people who do not have enough food remains higher than it was before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The findings come from the 2026 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report, which was prepared by five United Nations agencies, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The report examines global hunger, nutrition, and access to healthy food.
According to the report, about 645 million people, or 7.8% of the world's population, experienced hunger in 2025. This is an improvement compared with 8.1% in 2024 and 8.6% in 2022, making it the third year in a row that global hunger has fallen. Compared with the previous year, around 14 million fewer people experienced hunger, while the number has dropped by about 43 million since 2022.
Although these numbers show progress, the report also says the world has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. Before COVID-19, global hunger affected a smaller share of the population. The pandemic disrupted food production, supply chains, jobs, and household incomes around the world, causing hunger to rise sharply. While conditions have improved since then, the recovery has been slow and uneven.
The report shows that progress has not been the same in every region. Asia recorded one of the biggest improvements, helped by stronger agricultural production and government support programs in several countries. Latin America and the Caribbean also continued to make progress. However, Africa now has the largest number of hungry people in the world, with around 309 million people experiencing hunger. Rapid population growth, climate challenges, conflicts, and weaker economies have made recovery more difficult across many African countries.
The report also highlights another major concern. Even though hunger has decreased, 2.69 billion people around the world still cannot afford a healthy diet. Healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, dairy products, eggs, and protein-rich foods remain too expensive for many families, especially in low-income countries. As a result, many people survive on cheaper foods that provide enough calories but do not contain the nutrients needed for good health.
United Nations officials warned that several risks could slow or even reverse recent progress. Armed conflicts continue to disrupt farming and food supplies in many parts of the world. Climate change is also causing more droughts, floods, and extreme weather, making it harder for farmers to grow crops. Rising energy prices and possible trade disruptions could increase food production costs and push food prices even higher.
The report notes that child malnutrition and anemia among women remain serious global problems. At the same time, obesity is increasing in many countries because unhealthy processed foods are often cheaper and easier to buy than nutritious meals. This means many countries now face the double challenge of hunger and poor nutrition at the same time.
United Nations agencies say that reaching the global goal of Zero Hunger by 2030 will require much faster progress. They are calling on governments to invest more in agriculture, improve food systems, support small farmers, reduce food waste, and make healthy diets more affordable for everyone. Without stronger action, hundreds of millions of people could still face chronic hunger by the end of this decade.
The latest report shows that progress is possible, as global hunger has continued to decline over the past three years. However, it also makes clear that millions of people still struggle to get enough healthy food every day. While the world is moving in the right direction, experts say much more work is needed before hunger returns to pre-pandemic levels and the goal of ending hunger becomes a reality.