resignation
The numbers are stark. In just four years, wars and upheavals including the war in Ukraine, the climate crisis, and the lingering effects of the pandemic have driven hunger higher. The latest World Food Security and Nutrition Status, known as SOFI, shows that 735 million people currently lack reliable food security, a rise of 122 million since 2019. This is the annual global picture released in Rome by the Food and Agriculture Organization for 2024.
Recovery from the global health crisis has been uneven, and the war in Ukraine continues to disrupt the supply of nutritious food and healthy diets. Climate change, conflicts and economic instability are cited as the new normal by FAO director-general Qu Dongyu. He notes that these pressures are widening gaps and alienating marginalized populations from secure food access. The re-elected Chinese leader emphasized this dangerous trend as a persistent challenge for global food systems.
World Food Programme executive director Cindy McCain warned that humanitarian workers face the most severe challenge seen in decades. She called on the international community to act quickly, smartly, and with compassion to reverse the hunger trend and to protect vulnerable populations.
resignation
The report highlights that the hardest-hit regions include West Asia, the Caribbean, and all subregions of Africa, with Africa remaining the most affected. In parts of the continent, about one in five people go to bed hungry, a rate more than twice the world average. Latin America has shown some progress, though challenges persist across the broader region.
The UN acknowledges that achieving the long-standing goal of zero hunger by 2030 is becoming increasingly unlikely if current trends continue. The SOFI assessment projects that almost 600 million people could still face hunger in 2030, underscoring the gap between policy targets and real-world outcomes.
Experts also point to the rising difficulty for people to maintain healthy diets. The analysis shows that more than 3.1 billion people, or 42 percent of the global population, could not afford a healthy diet in 2021. This affordability barrier compounds food insecurity and reduces resilience against shocks.
processed foods
Food insecurity disproportionately affects the poorest, with rural communities bearing the heaviest burden. In rural areas, 33 percent of adults face moderate or severe food insecurity, compared with 26 percent in urban settings. Child growth retardation remains higher in rural areas, at 35.8 percent, versus 22.4 percent in cities. Food waste is also more pronounced in rural contexts, around 10.5 percent, compared with 7.7 percent in urban environments. Nutrient intake patterns show urban areas reporting slightly higher fat consumption, about 5.4 percent, than rural areas at 3.5 percent.
The report also highlights evolving demographics, noting a continuing shift of populations toward urban centers. By 2050, projections indicate that nearly seven in ten people will live in cities. This urbanization has implications for policy, particularly around the consumption of highly processed foods. The UN emphasizes that processed food intake is increasing in both urban and rural settings in many countries, underscoring the need for targeted policies to promote affordable, nutritious options while limiting the most harmful options.