Global hunger progress remains sluggish 

October 15, 2025

At the current pace, at least 56 countries are unlikely to achieve low hunger by 2030, a new global report warns. The 2025 Global Hunger Index (GHI), covering 136 countries, highlights slow and uneven progress toward the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal of zero hunger. Published jointly by Irish humanitarian organisation Concern Worldwide, German aid agency Welthungerhilfe, and the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV), the report was launched on October 10, 2025.

After significant improvements until 2016, global hunger has stagnated. The world’s GHI score in 2025 stands at 18.3, only slightly lower than 19.0 in 2016, keeping hunger in the ‘moderate’ category. Worsening crises are evident in 42 countries, where hunger is classified as ‘serious’ or ‘alarming’. Seven countries—Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Madagascar, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen—face ‘alarming’ hunger levels, while 35 countries remain in the ‘serious’ category. Hunger has increased in 27 countries since 2016, reversing prior gains. Five countries—Fiji, Jordan, Libya, Solomon Islands, and Syria—have higher GHI scores than in 2000. In ten nations, progress has largely stalled, with 2025 scores showing minimal improvement.

Regional disparities are striking. Africa South of the Sahara records the highest hunger levels globally, with 10 countries seeing rising undernourishment since 2016. Severe hunger persists in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Madagascar, Kenya, Somalia, and Zambia. South Asia also remains severely affected, while West Asia and North Africa show only limited improvements. Latin America and the Caribbean have seen slowing reductions in hunger, while East and Southeast Asia maintain overall low levels, though progress has slowed. Europe and Central Asia continue to report the world’s lowest regional GHI scores.

The report highlights four indicators: undernourishment, child stunting, child wasting, and child mortality. The primary drivers of global hunger remain ongoing wars, armed conflicts, climate change impacts, and insufficient political action.

Despite these challenges, progress is possible. Mozambique, Rwanda, Somalia, Togo, and Uganda have shown meaningful improvements. Tajikistan, once classified with an alarming GHI score, is now nearing low hunger. Other countries, including Angola, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Nepal, and Sierra Leone, demonstrate that targeted policies, sustained investment, and food systems interventions can reduce hunger effectively.

The report emphasizes that gains remain fragile. Sustained policy support, early-warning systems, climate resilience measures, and food systems transformation are essential to preserve achievements and accelerate progress toward zero hunger.