🌍 Global Hunger Hits 6-Year High as Conflict and Climate Chaos Push Millions Into Crisis – UN
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More than 295 million people faced acute hunger across 53 countries in 2024, marking a six-year consecutive rise, according to the 2025 Global Report on Food Crises (GFRC) released Friday.
The grim report, backed by United Nations agencies, warns of a “bleak” outlook for 2025 due to severe funding shortfalls and worsening conflict zones.
📈 Hunger levels rose by 5% over 2023, with 22.6% of affected populations in crisis-level hunger or worse.
Top Drivers of the Global Hunger Surge:
- Conflict:
- The primary cause, affecting nearly 140 million people in 20 countries, including Gaza, South Sudan, Mali, and Haiti.
- Sudan has officially entered famine conditions in multiple regions.
- Extreme Weather Events:
- El Niño-induced droughts and floods displaced food systems in 18 countries, hitting over 96 million people—especially in Southern Africa, Southern Asia, and the Horn of Africa.
- Economic Shocks:
- Inflation and currency devaluation drove food crises in 15 nations, including Syria and Yemen, affecting 59.4 million people.
UN Chief: “A Failure of Humanity”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the crisis, saying:
“This is more than a failure of systems – it is a failure of humanity. Hunger in the 21st century is indefensible.”
He pointed to ongoing wars and blockades—from Gaza to Mali—as leading causes of catastrophic hunger.
Most Affected Regions and Countries:
- Sudan: Confirmed famine in five regions by May 2025.
- Palestine (Gaza): Approaching famine thresholds due to Israeli blockade.
- Yemen, Syria, Afghanistan: High rates of both food insecurity and child malnutrition.
- Mali and South Sudan: Among the worst-hit by conflict-driven hunger.
📊 In 2024, the number of people facing acute food insecurity nearly tripled.
Child Malnutrition and Humanitarian Concerns
The report warns that 26 crisis countries are also experiencing nutritional emergencies, especially affecting children. Aid agencies face significant funding shortfalls, threatening ongoing support in famine-prone areas.
Some Improvements Noted
In contrast, 15 countries, including Ukraine, Kenya, and Guatemala, showed improvements due to:
- Better harvests
- Easing inflation
- Increased aid
- Reduced conflict
What Lies Ahead:
With donor fatigue setting in and humanitarian aid budgets shrinking, the global community faces a daunting challenge to prevent widespread famine in 2025.
🛑 “We cannot respond to empty stomachs with empty hands,” Guterres warned.
