Acute food insecurity and malnutrition remain alarmingly high as crises deepen, UN, EU and partners warn

The Global Network Against Food Crises released the Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC) 2026 on April 24, 2026, warning that acute hunger and malnutrition remain at critical levels worldwide, according to a press release issued by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Bank. In its tenth edition, the report finds that acute hunger has doubled over the past decade. Two famines were declared in 2025 — in Gaza Governorate and parts of Sudan — marking the first time in the report’s history that famine was confirmed in two separate contexts in the same year.

In 2025, 266 million people across 47 countries and territories experienced high levels of acute food insecurity, representing almost 23 percent of the analysed population — nearly double the share recorded in 2016. Ten countries — Afghanistan, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Sudan, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, and Yemen — accounted for two-thirds of all people facing high levels of acute hunger. The number of people facing catastrophic hunger (IPC Phase 5) is nine times higher than it was in 2016. More than 85 million people were forcibly displaced across food-crisis contexts in 2025.

Acute malnutrition added further alarm to the report’s findings. In 2025, 35.5 million children were acutely malnourished, including nearly 10 million suffering from severe acute malnutrition. Nearly half of food-crisis contexts also faced nutrition crises, driven by inadequate diets, disease burden, and breakdowns in essential services. The severity of acute food insecurity in 2025 was the second highest on record. Funding for food crises responses has fallen back to levels last seen nearly a decade ago, limiting governments’ and humanitarian actors’ ability to respond effectively.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated in the report’s foreword: “Conflict remains the primary driver of acute food insecurity and malnutrition for millions around the world, with outright famine emerging in two conflict-affected areas in the same year — an unprecedented development.” He called on global leaders to scale up investment in lifesaving aid and work to end conflicts. The report also warns that 18 countries and territories lacked comparable data in 2025, including Burkina Faso, the Republic of Congo, and Ethiopia, which alone accounted for more than 27 million acutely food-insecure people in 2024. This data gap means the apparent decline in reported numbers does not reflect a real improvement in food security.

Looking ahead to 2026, the report warns that severe levels of acute food insecurity remain critical across multiple contexts. Ongoing conflicts, climate variability, and global economic uncertainty are likely to sustain or worsen conditions in many countries. The Global Network Against Food Crises calls on governments, donors, international financial institutions, and partners to scale up investment in resilient agrifood systems, climate adaptation, rural livelihoods, and inclusive economic opportunities. Preventing the most severe outcomes, including famine, also depends on ensuring safe humanitarian access, upholding international humanitarian law, and reinforcing political commitment to address conflict-driven hunger.