Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC) 2025

Context

The 2025 Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC), launched by the Global Network Against Food Crises (GNAFC) and produced by the Food Security Information Network (FSIN), provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state of acute food insecurity and malnutrition worldwide. The report highlights the alarming rise in hunger, the key drivers behind the crises, and urgent calls for coordinated global action.

Current Landscape of Global Food Crises

• Rising Numbers of Food-Insecure People: In 2024, over 295 million people across 53 countries experienced acute food insecurity, marking the sixth consecutive year of increase and representing nearly a quarter of the population in the affected regions. The severity of hunger has escalated, with 1.9 million people facing famine or catastrophic hunger (IPC Phase 5)-more than double the previous year and the highest recorded since tracking began in 2016.
• Geographical Hotspots: The most critical situations are concentrated in conflict-affected and fragile regions such as Gaza, Sudan, South Sudan, Mali, Yemen, and Haiti. Gaza and Sudan alone account for 95% of the population in the worst hunger phase (IPC Phase 5). These areas suffer from a combination of conflict, displacement, and economic shocks.

Key Drivers of Food Crises

• Conflict and Violence: Conflict remains the primary driver, affecting approximately 140 million people in 20 countries. It disrupts food production, supply chains, and access to humanitarian aid, often weaponizing starvation itself, as seen in Gaza and Sudan.
• Economic Shocks: Economic instability, including inflation and currency devaluation, has pushed 59.4 million people into food insecurity across 15 countries. These shocks exacerbate hunger by reducing purchasing power and increasing food prices.
• Climate Extremes: Weather-related disasters, particularly those linked to El Niño such as droughts and floods, have driven food crises in 18 countries, impacting over 96 million people. Regions like Southern Africa, Southern Asia, and the Horn of Africa are notably affected.
• Forced Displacement: Nearly 95 million forcibly displaced people (including refugees and internally displaced persons) live in countries facing food crises, further compounding vulnerability and food insecurity.

Nutrition Crisis and Child Malnutrition

The report underscores a severe nutrition crisis, especially among children. Nearly 38 million children under five suffer from acute malnutrition in 26 nutrition crises globally, with high prevalence in Gaza, Mali, Sudan, and Yemen4. Malnutrition exacerbates the cycle of poverty and food insecurity, impacting long-term development.

Challenges in Response and Funding

• Funding Shortfalls: Despite the escalating crisis, humanitarian funding is declining sharply. The 2025 operational requirement by the World Food Programme (WFP) is US$16.9 billion to reach 123 million vulnerable people, yet funding gaps threaten effective response.
• Global Priorities and Political Will: There is a concerning trend of increasing military expenditures and tax breaks for the wealthy, while aid budgets are cut. This political and moral failure undermines efforts to address hunger, which is increasingly used as a weapon of war.

Strategic Recommendations and Way Forward

• Integrated Emergency and Development Powers: The report stresses the synergy between emergency response and long-term development. It recommends linking immediate humanitarian aid with investments in resilience, primarily in rural agricultural settings where the majority of the food-insecure are located. 
• Investment in Emergency Agriculture: Emergency agriculture support is considered a cost-effective solution. For every dollar invested, there are seven dollars in benefits received by the provision of food, income, and stability to vulnerable farmers and communities. 
• Strengthening Partnerships: To resolve food crises, global solidarity and partnership must be created across UN agencies, governments, NGOs, and affected communities. Through the Global Network Against Food Crises, data, expertise, and resources interlink to forge impactful action.
• Focus on Local Food Systems and Nutrition Services: Building profitable local food systems and integrated nutrition services is an essential ingredient in breaking the hazard-ridden cycle of hunger and malnutrition, where agriculture sustains about 70% of rural households.

Conclusion: Urgency for Coordinated Global Action

The 2025 Global Report on Food Crises paints a stark picture of a world where acute hunger is a persistent and worsening reality. The convergence of conflict, economic shocks, climate extremes, and displacement demands urgent, coordinated, and well-funded responses. The report calls for a bold reset in global food security strategies, emphasizing evidence-based actions, community engagement, and sustained investments to build a food-secure future that leaves no one behind.

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