Context:

The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) 2025 report was released on July 28, 2025, by five UN agencies. This report presents a stark picture of global hunger and food insecurity.

·        Although there has been modest improvement since 2022, progress remains uneven and insufficient to meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 target of Zero Hunger by 2030.

Key findings from the SOFI 2025 Report:

• 720 million people affected by chronic hunger in 2024 — 8.2% of the global population.
• A slight decline from 8.5% in 2023 and 8.7% in 2022, but still above pre-pandemic and 2015 levels.
• 2.3 billion people experienced moderate or severe food insecurity in 2024.
• Compared to 2015, the year the 2030 Agenda was adopted, 96 million more people suffer from hunger, and 683 million more face food insecurity.

Regional Breakdown

• Asia holds nearly half of the food-insecure population due to sheer population size.
• Africa remains most vulnerable in terms of percentage affected.

Future projection

• 512 million people may be undernourished globally by 2030 (~6% of world population).
• Only 65 million fewer than in 2015 — indicating slow progress.
• Africa will remain the most affected region:
• Will house 60% of global undernourished population.
• 17.6% of its population will face chronic hunger.
• Asia and Latin America: Prevalence likely to fall below 5%.

Indian Context:

• As per SOFI, 55.6% of Indians cannot afford a healthy diet.
• High food inflation, post-COVID recovery, and climate events continue to burden low-income households.
• India faces a double burden of undernutrition and rising obesity, especially among children and women.

About the report:

The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report is a flagship publication that tracks global progress towards achieving food security and nutrition goals.

It is published jointly by:

·        Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO),

·        International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD),

·        United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF),

·        World Food Programme (WFP), and

·        World Health Organization (WHO)

The SOFI report provides critical insights into the state of food security and nutrition worldwide.

Key Objectives of the SOFI Report:

The SOFI report tracks global progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, which aims to end hunger and ensure access to food for all people.

·        The report monitors progress towards ending all forms of malnutrition, including undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and overweight and obesity.

·        The SOFI report provides crucial inputs for global policy discussions, humanitarian and development planning, and national nutrition strategies.

Conclusion:

With less than 5 years left for the 2030 SDG deadline, accelerated action, targeted investment, and inclusive policies are crucial to ensure that "Zero Hunger" does not remain a distant dream.