Acute food insecurity and malnutrition have reached an alarming and deeply entrenched levels worldwide, per the latest Global Report on Food Crises 2026, which warns that hunger is intensifying and becoming increasingly concentrated in a core group of crisis-affected countries.

According to the Global Network Against Food Crises research, 266 million people in 47 countries suffered high levels of acute food insecurity in 2025, accounting for approximately 23% of the population analysed. While slightly higher than in 2024, the percentage is about double the share reported in 2016, highlighting what researchers view as a growing global trend.

The findings highlight a stark concentration of hunger, with ten countries including Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Sudan and Yemen accounting for roughly two-thirds of those affected. Among these, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Sudan and Yemen were identified as facing the most severe crises both in scale and intensity.

World Bank Group Managing Director and Chief Knowledge Officer, Paschal Donohoe, stated that “Food crises are shaped by overlapping risks conflict, global price volatility, and intensifying extreme weather events.”

“They affect the most vulnerable first and hardest. This is why preparedness is critical. With better data, smarter tools, and earlier action, we can build resilience that protects people, supports jobs, and safeguards development gains.”
Paschal Donohoe

At the most extreme end of the spectrum, famine conditions were confirmed in Gaza Governorate and parts of Sudan in 2025 by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification system.

It marks the first time since the report began that famine has been declared in two separate contexts within the same year, signalling a significant escalation in the severity of global hunger.

The report attributes the crisis primarily to conflict, restricted humanitarian access and forced displacement, with economic shocks and climate pressures compounding the situation.

More than 85 million people were forcibly displaced across food-crisis contexts in 2025, with displaced populations consistently experiencing higher levels of hunger than host communities.

High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, Barham Salih indicated that, forced displacement and food insecurity are deeply interconnected, forming a vicious cycle that reinforces vulnerability and hardship.

“Today, 86 per cent of people forced to flee live in countries facing food crises, and nearly half of those countries are in situations of protracted displacement. Humanitarian aid saves lives, but it is not enough. We must invest in solutions that enable refugees to become self-reliant and rebuild their lives with dignity.”
Barham Salih

Malnutrition is also worsening, particularly among children. In 2025, 35.5 million children were acutely malnourished, including nearly 10 million suffering from severe acute malnutrition. In the hardest-hit regions, overlapping crises have pushed communities to critical thresholds, raising concerns about increased mortality risks.

UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell emphasised that, “millions of children on the verge of starvation must be a wake-up call to the world.”

“This is not about scarcity of food but about the lack of political will to ensure that children everywhere have access to basic nutrition, safe water and the essential services they rely on to survive and grow. In a world of plenty, there is no reason for a child to suffer or die because of malnutrition.”
Catherine Russell

Funding Decline and Global Instability Deepen Crisis Outlook

The outlook for 2026 remains bleak, with the report warning that ongoing conflicts, climate variability and economic uncertainty are likely to sustain or worsen food insecurity in multiple regions.

Particular concern is focused on the Middle East, where escalating conflict is already disrupting supply chains and driving up energy and logistics costs.

These pressures are affecting food affordability, especially in countries heavily reliant on imports, while raising the risk of broader disruptions to global agrifood markets.

At the same time, the report highlights a sharp decline in humanitarian and development funding, which has fallen to levels last seen nearly a decade ago.

This reduction in resources is limiting the capacity of governments and aid agencies to respond effectively to growing needs.

Despite these challenges, global leaders and institutions are calling for a shift in approach, emphasising the need for long-term investment in resilient food systems, climate adaptation and rural livelihoods, inclusive economic opportunities, alongside immediate humanitarian assistance to stem this tide.

According to the Global Network Against Food Crises, food and nutrition crises are no longer transient shocks, but rather enduring, predictable, and more concentrated in long-term contexts.

They also stated that resolving these difficulties necessitates increased persistent, coordinated effort that decreases humanitarian needs, strengthens resilience, and addresses core causes.