The number of hungry people in the world fell by an estimated 15 million last year — the biggest decline in several years — according to a flagship annual United Nations global food security report.
Levels of hunger increased sharply between 2019 and 2021, due to factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and war in Ukraine, and are estimated to have dropped slightly each year since, according to the 2025 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report.
Global progress on hunger rates is driven by improvements in South America and southern Asia, the report said. But in Africa and western Asia, the picture is getting worse.
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About the author
Tania Karas@TaniaKaras
Tania Karas is a Senior Editor at Devex, where she edits coverage on global development and humanitarian aid in the Americas. Previously, she managed the digital team for The World, where she oversaw content production for the website, podcast, newsletter, and social media platforms. Tania also spent three years as a foreign correspondent in Greece, Turkey, and Lebanon, covering the Syrian refugee crisis and European politics. She started her career as a staff reporter for the New York Law Journal, covering immigration and access to justice.
