South America has emerged as the world’s best-performing region in reducing hunger, with the latest United Nations assessment showing significant progress in improving food security. The encouraging trend has placed the continent on course to become the first major region where hunger falls below the internationally accepted threshold, although disparities in neighbouring regions and the growing impact of climate change continue to pose serious concerns.
According to the latest UN findings, South America has recorded the sharpest improvement in hunger levels in recent years. The prevalence of undernourishment has declined to an average of 3.8 per cent, marking a drop of nearly one percentage point between 2022 and 2024. This reduction places the region below the five per cent benchmark commonly associated with the virtual eradication of chronic hunger.
The broader Latin America and Caribbean region has also registered positive movement, though progress has been uneven. While South America has witnessed substantial gains, Mesoamerica has remained largely unchanged with hunger affecting around five per cent of its population. The Caribbean continues to face much greater challenges, with hunger prevalence remaining around 17.5 per cent, largely driven by the prolonged humanitarian crisis in Haiti, where more than half the population experiences undernourishment.
The improvement in South America has been attributed to a combination of stronger agricultural production, sustained public welfare initiatives, better access to food and targeted government policies aimed at protecting vulnerable households. Countries across the continent have expanded social protection measures while investing in rural development and food systems, helping millions secure better access to nutritious diets despite economic uncertainties and changing climate conditions.
The encouraging regional trend also aligns with the latest global assessment released by five UN agencies, which reported that worldwide hunger declined for the third consecutive year in 2025. Around 645 million people, representing 7.8 per cent of the global population, experienced hunger last year, compared to 8.1 per cent in 2024 and 8.6 per cent in 2022. The decline has been driven primarily by improvements in Asia, particularly India, along with continued gains across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Despite the progress, UN experts have cautioned that the battle against hunger remains far from over. Climate-related disruptions, geopolitical tensions and trade uncertainties continue to threaten global food systems. Potential disruptions to energy and fertilizer supplies, coupled with the possibility of another strong El Niño weather event, could increase production costs and negatively affect agricultural output in several vulnerable regions.
The report also highlights that although hunger is declining, other forms of malnutrition continue to demand urgent attention. Millions of people across the world still cannot afford a healthy diet, while problems such as child malnutrition, anaemia among women and rising obesity remain widespread. These issues underline the need for countries to focus not only on increasing food availability but also on ensuring access to nutritious and affordable food.
Experts believe South America’s experience demonstrates that sustained political commitment, investments in agriculture and comprehensive social welfare programmes can produce measurable improvements in food security. The region’s progress is increasingly being viewed as a model for other parts of the world seeking to reduce hunger and achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal of ending hunger.
However, the United Nations has stressed that maintaining this momentum will require continued investment, resilient food systems and coordinated international action. While South America’s achievements provide reason for optimism, officials warn that global efforts to eliminate hunger entirely by the end of the decade remain vulnerable to economic shocks, conflicts and the escalating effects of climate change.
