Global Acute Hunger Hits Record 295 Million Across 53 Countries

The 2025 Global Report on Food Crises reveals that acute food insecurity and child malnutrition have risen for the sixth consecutive year, affecting over 295 million people across 53 countries and territories. Conflict remains the primary driver, impacting nearly 140 million people, with severe famine conditions declared in Sudan and critical risks in Gaza, Yemen, and Mali. Economic shocks and extreme weather events, including El Nino-induced droughts and floods, further exacerbate food insecurity, pushing millions more to the brink. The number of people facing catastrophic hunger more than doubled to 1.9 million, the highest on record, while nearly 38 million children under five suffer from acute malnutrition. Forced displacement has also surged, with nearly 95 million displaced people living in food crisis-affected countries, compounding the humanitarian challenges. UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the global response as inadequate, warning that drastic cuts in humanitarian funding threaten to worsen the crisis, calling hunger in the 21st century 'indefensible.'