A recent global assessment has revealed that nearly 300 million individuals face life-threatening levels of hunger, marking the sixth consecutive year of worsening food insecurity. The 2025 Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC), released on May 16, indicates that 295.3 million people across 53 countries face acute food insecurity, driven by escalating conflicts, economic instability, climate shocks, and significant reductions in humanitarian aid.
The most severe levels of food insecurity, classified as “catastrophe” by the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), have more than doubled in the past year. Over 95% of those facing catastrophic conditions are located in Gaza and Sudan. In Gaza, the situation has deteriorated due to border closures and the collapse of a ceasefire, leaving its 2.1 million residents at critical risk of famine. Sudan’s ongoing civil war has plunged over 24 million people into acute food need, with famine confirmed in areas like the Zamzam camp in North Darfur.
Other countries severely impacted include Haiti, Mali, and South Sudan. Conflicts in nations such as Myanmar and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, along with extreme droughts in East Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, have further exacerbated food insecurity. Additionally, funding cuts, particularly from USAID, have halted nutrition services for over 14 million children in vulnerable regions like Sudan, Yemen, and Haiti.
The World Food Programme (WFP) reports that 343 million people across 74 countries are acutely food insecure, a 10% increase from the previous year. Up to 1.9 million individuals are estimated to be on the brink of famine, primarily in Gaza and Sudan, but also in parts of South Sudan, Haiti, and Mali. The WFP requires $16.9 billion to assist 123 million of the most vulnerable food-insecure people globally in 2025.
The GRFC emphasizes the urgent need for global action to address the root causes of food insecurity, including conflict resolution, economic stabilization, climate adaptation, and the restoration of humanitarian aid. Without immediate and coordinated efforts, the world faces a deepening hunger crisis with devastating human consequences.
