State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World: A Critical Report on Hunger, Malnutrition, and Inequality

Strategic Insights -

The United Nations Secretary-General delivered a stark message on the state of food security and nutrition globally, highlighting a sobering reality: despite progress, hunger, malnutrition, and inequality continue to deny millions of people their basic human rights. The report, State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, underscores that ending hunger is not just a humanitarian crisis but also a development crisis, an economic crisis, and a crisis of justice.

Key Takeaways:

  • Over 670 million people go to bed hungry globally, with 307 million in Africa alone, nearly one in five, facing hunger.
  • Women's nutrition continues to deteriorate, with anaemia among women aged 15-49 rising over the past decade, and two-thirds of women in that age group not meeting minimum dietary diversity.
  • Children suffer consequences that will last a lifetime, with one-third of children between 6 and 23 months not receiving the necessary nutrients for brain development and growth.
  • Affordability is a key issue, with global food price inflation consistently outpacing general inflation since 2020, forcing low-income families to make difficult choices.
  • Food systems are vulnerable to conflict, climate shocks, inflation, displacement, and are a major contributor to the deep fragility of our food systems.
  • Transforming food systems is crucial to reducing poverty, creating opportunities, and building resilience.
  • Food systems can help support smallholder farmers, women, and youth, lower the cost of healthy diets, create green jobs, improve public health, strengthen food sovereignty, and deliver climate solutions.

Statistics:

  • Around 670 million people go to bed hungry globally.
  • 307 million people in Africa face hunger, nearly one in five.
  • Anaemia among women aged 15-49 has risen over the past decade.
  • Two-thirds of women aged 15-49 do not meet minimum dietary diversity.
  • One-third of children between 6 and 23 months do not receive necessary nutrients.
  • Global food price inflation has consistently outpaced general inflation since 2020.
  • Food systems contribute about one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Sources:

  • Speech by the United Nations Secretary-General, 2025
  • State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report, 2025 (exact publication date not specified)
  • Contify.com, excerpt on United Nations News, 2025, no specific date