UN report: Global hunger falls to 645 million in 2025, Africa still hardest hit

The United Nations’ State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI 2026) report released in July 2025 found that 645 million people – 7.8% of the global population – were undernourished in 2025, a decline from 8.1% in 2024 and 8.6% in 2022. The drop reflects continued progress in Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, while the overall number remains far above pre‑COVID levels.

Africa accounted for the largest share of the hungry, with 309 million people – about one in five Africans – despite a slight fall in the regional prevalence from 20.3% to 20.0%. South America showed the lowest prevalence at 5.1%, whereas the Caribbean’s rate stayed high at 16.6%.

Country‑level gains were highlighted: Venezuela cut its undernourished population from 2.1 million to 1.5 million; the Dominican Republic lowered sub‑nutrition prevalence below the 2.5% “zero‑hunger” threshold; Brazil kept the sub‑nutrition rate under 2.5% and reduced severe food insecurity to 0.6% of its population. Other nations such as Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru and Mexico also reported declines.

The report warned that rising obesity, the increasing cost of a healthy diet and heightened vulnerability to conflicts and climate shocks – notably the war in the Middle East and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz – could stall or reverse recent gains.