Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
According to the latest edition of The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report, published by five United Nations agencies, an estimated 7.8 percent of the global population, or roughly 645 million people, faced hunger in 2025. This is a decline from 8.1 percent in 2024 and 8.6 percent in 2022, representing nearly 14 million fewer people than in 2024 and 43 million fewer compared to 2022.
Progress towards ending hunger remains uneven across regions. While Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean have seen steady improvements, Africa now has the largest number of people experiencing hunger. In 2025, about 309 million people in Africa did not get enough to eat, compared to 292 million in Asia. Despite Africa's hunger rate dropping from 20.3 percent in 2024 to 20.0 percent in 2025, population growth means the continent now has the highest absolute number of hungry people.
The report also indicates that around 2.1 billion people, or 25.8 percent of the global population, experienced moderate or severe food insecurity in 2025, meaning they sometimes had to compromise on the quality or quantity of food. This figure has improved from previous years but remains above pre-pandemic levels. Regionally, food insecurity affected 56.6 percent of Africa’s population, 20.3 percent in Asia, 22.9 percent in Latin America and the Caribbean, and 8.7 percent in Northern America and Europe.
The SOFI report authors warn that ongoing conflict in the Middle East and adverse weather events could undermine recent progress. Máximo Torero, FAO Chief Economist, noted that the crisis near the Strait of Hormuz may impact food production and crop yields globally. He added that, depending on the duration of food inflation from higher energy and fertilizer prices, between 510 and 520 million people could still face hunger in 2030.