In 2025, global food security remains a significant challenge, with approximately 700 million people suffering from undernourishment, meaning they lack sufficient caloric intake for a healthy life.
Over 2 billion people are estimated to experience some form of food insecurity, which includes both moderate and severe levels, affecting their access to safe and nutritious food. While recent trends show slight improvements, such as lower food prices for most crops (except maize) and reduced inflation in some areas, the progress is insufficient to meet the Sustainable Development Goal of ending hunger by 2030. Vulnerable regions like Africa and Asia continue to bear the brunt, with ongoing issues like conflict, climate variability, and economic stagnation exacerbating the situation.
Economic and Policy Context
Economic growth is projected to remain stagnant at 2.7% through 2026, which may hinder efforts to reduce poverty and improve food security, particularly in low-income countries. Financing for food security is critically low, with only 3% of development funding allocated to the food sector compared to 33% for humanitarian assistance, highlighting a need for increased investment (World Bank Food Security Update). Efforts like the FAO's programs and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's global initiatives are ongoing, but more action is needed to address these challenges effectively.
Introduction
Global food security in 2025, defined as ensuring all people have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food, remains a pressing concern. This analysis draws on recent reports from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Bank, and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide a comprehensive overview, focusing on key statistics, trends, and challenges. The data reflects the current state as of February 28, 2025, and considers projections and ongoing efforts to address food insecurity.
Key Statistics and Trends
Research indicates that in 2025, approximately 700 million people are undernourished globally, a figure derived from projections in the FAO's 2024 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report, which estimated 736 million in 2023 and projected a slight decrease to around 668.8 million by 2025 based on earlier trends (FAO SOFI 2024). Undernourishment refers to insufficient dietary energy intake, with Africa showing the highest prevalence at 20.4% in 2023, affecting 298.4 million people, while Asia, with 8.1% prevalence, had the largest number at 384.5 million.
Food insecurity, measured by the FAO's Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES), is more widespread, with over 2 billion people estimated to face moderate or severe food insecurity in 2025. This estimate is based on the 2022 figure of 2.4 billion, with slight improvements suggested by the USDA's International Food Security Assessment (IFSA) model, which reported a 27.5% decrease in food insecurity (313 million fewer people) in 83 low- and middle-income countries in 2024 compared to 2023 (USDA Global Food Security). However, the World Bank warns of a risk of 943 million people facing severe food insecurity by 2025, indicating persistent challenges
How much food did the world produce in 2024?
Regional Variations
The distribution of food insecurity varies significantly by region. Africa remains the most affected, with 298.4 million undernourished in 2023, while Asia, despite a lower prevalence, hosts the largest absolute number at 384.5 million. Latin America and the Caribbean, with 41.0 million, and Oceania, with 3.3 million, also face issues, but to a lesser extent. These regional disparities highlight the need for targeted interventions, especially in conflict-affected areas and regions vulnerable to climate extremes.
Economic and Environmental Drivers
Several factors continue to drive food insecurity in 2025. The World Bank's January 2025 Global Economic Prospects report projects global growth at 2.7% through 2026, signaling persistent economic stagnation that may exacerbate food insecurity in low-income countries (World Bank Food Security Update). Climate variability and extremes, as noted in previous FAO reports, remain significant, with the February 2025 AMIS Market Monitor indicating mixed crop prices, such as lower wheat and rice prices but a 15-month peak for maize due to supply concerns (World Bank Food Security Update). Conflict, economic slowdowns, and growing inequality further complicate the landscape, often occurring in combination to intensify food security challenges.
Financing and Policy Efforts
Financing for food security is critically inadequate, with the 2024 Financing Flows and Food Crises report revealing that only 3% (USD 6.3 billion) of total development funding is allocated to the food sector, compared to 33% (USD 10.3 billion) for humanitarian assistance (World Bank Food Security Update). The FAO's 2024 report emphasizes the need for increased financing, proposing a new definition and methodology to measure it, and calls for reforms to the food security and nutrition financing architecture. Ongoing efforts include the USDA's continuation of programs like McGovern-Dole and Food for Progress, aimed at feeding people globally and creating demand for U.S. agricultural goods (USDA Global Food Security). However, achieving the necessary scale of intervention remains elusive, particularly in countries with the highest burden.
Unexpected Detail: Mixed Crop Price Trends
An unexpected detail is the mixed trend in global crop prices in early 2025, with most AMIS crops (wheat, rice, soybeans) lower than last year, except for maize, which reached a 15-month peak due to supply concerns. This variation could disproportionately affect regions reliant on maize, potentially offsetting some gains in food security
Conclusion
In conclusion, global food security in 2025 shows slight improvements but remains far from the SDG target of zero hunger by 2030. With approximately 700 million undernourished and over 2 billion food insecure, the challenge is significant, particularly in Africa and Asia. Economic stagnation, climate impacts, and inadequate financing continue to hinder progress, necessitating urgent and sustained action from international organizations, governments, and stakeholders.
