Global hunger crisis: 295 million people struggle with food insecurity in 2024

In 2024, the world saw a sharp rise in hunger, with over 295 million people across 53 countries and territories suffering from acute food insecurity — nearly 14 million more than in 2023, according to the Global Report on Food Crises released Friday.

For the sixth year running, hunger and malnutrition have increased, now affecting 22.6 percent of the populations assessed.

The number of people facing the most extreme hunger, known as catastrophic hunger, more than doubled to 1.9 million — the highest figure recorded since the report started in 2016.

Children are among the worst affected.

Nearly 38 million children under the age of five are acutely malnourished in 26 countries, including Gaza, Mali, Sudan, and Yemen, where nutrition emergencies are especially severe.

The crisis is fueled by a mix of conflict, economic struggles, climate disasters, and forced displacement.

Conflict alone drives hunger for 140 million people in 20 countries, with famine declared in Sudan. Other hotspots include the Gaza Strip, South Sudan, Haiti, and Mali.

QU Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization, said, “Acute food insecurity is not just a crisis – it is a constant reality for millions of people, most of whom live in rural areas. The path forward is clear: investment in emergency agriculture is critical, not just as a response, but as the most cost-effective solution to deliver significant long-lasting impact.”

Echoing this, Alvaro Lario, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, said, “The report makes clear that humanitarian responses must go hand in hand with investments in rural development and resilience building to create long-term stability that lasts beyond emergency interventions. Rural communities, especially smallholder farmers, are central to food security, resilience, and growth. This is even more true in fragile settings.”

Raouf Mazou of the UN Refugee Agency stressed the need for sustainable solutions: "People who have been displaced show remarkable strength, but resilience alone can't end hunger. As food insecurity worsens and humanitarian crises become more prolonged, we need to shift from emergency aid to sustainable responses."

Economic shocks, including inflation and currency devaluation, pushed 59.4 million people into food crises across 15 countries.

This worsened conditions in Afghanistan, South Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.

Climate extremes, many linked to El Niño, affected 96 million people in 18 countries, especially in Southern Africa, Southern Asia, and the Horn of Africa.

Meanwhile, nearly 95 million displaced people live in countries facing food crises, adding pressure on already stretched food systems.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres described the situation as “another unflinching indictment of a world dangerously off course.

"Long-standing crises are now being compounded by another, more recent one: the dramatic reduction in lifesaving humanitarian funding to respond to these needs. This is more than a failure of systems — it is a failure of humanity," he warned.

"Hunger in the 21st century is indefensible. We cannot respond to empty stomachs with empty hands and turned backs."

Despite the growing crisis, funding for food and nutrition programs is dropping rapidly.

The report warns that this decline could worsen hunger and malnutrition in 2025, leaving many without necessary aid.

Hadja Lahbib, EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, said, "This year’s Global Report on Food Crises paints yet another stark and unacceptable picture of rising hunger. This is not merely a call to action — it is a moral imperative. At a time when funding cuts are straining the humanitarian system, we reaffirm our commitment to fight global hunger. We will not abandon the most vulnerable, especially in fragile and conflict-affected countries."

"We will continue to champion and defend International Humanitarian Law. Today’s challenges are greater than ever, but so is our solidarity. Now is the time to act with unity and resolve, and to prove that even in the hardest times, humanity can and will rise to the challenge," she added.

The report calls for a fundamental change in the approach to hunger — one that focuses on local food systems, long-term agricultural investment, and strong nutrition services, especially in rural areas where 70% of people rely on farming.

Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF, highlighted the human cost: "In a world of plenty, there is no excuse for children to go hungry or die of malnutrition. Hunger gnaws at the stomach of a child. It gnaws, too, at their dignity, their sense of safety, and their future. How can we continue to stand by when there is more than enough food to feed every hungry child in the world? How can we ignore what is happening in front of our eyes? Millions of children’s lives hang in the balance as funding is slashed to critical nutrition services."

"The global hunger crisis threatens not just lives, but the stability and potential of entire societies. What is needed now is collective action so we can build a future free of hunger," Axel van Trotsenburg of the World Bank added.

Cindy McCain, Executive Director of the World Food Programme, described the tough choices aid groups face.

“Like every other humanitarian organization, WFP is facing deep budget shortfall, which have forced drastic cuts to our food assistance programs. Millions of hungry people have lost, or will soon lose, the critical lifeline we provide. We have tried and tested solutions to hunger and food insecurity. But we need the support of our donors and partners to implement them," said McCain.