Global hunger falls, but millions in Africa still go without food, says UN

What the report says

The Independent Uganda, citing URN from Geneva, reported on July 23 that the UN’s latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2026 report shows global hunger declining for a third year, while Africa remains the region facing the greatest burden. The report, produced by five UN agencies, estimates that 645 million people were hungry in 2025, down from 659 million in 2024 and 688 million in 2022, but still far from the pace needed to meet the 2030 Zero Hunger goal.

According to the article, Africa has now surpassed Asia in the number of hungry people, with about 309 million Africans affected in 2025 compared with 292 million in Asia. The report says one in five people on the continent is undernourished, and 56.6% face moderate or severe food insecurity. For Uganda, the findings underline risks linked to reliance on rain-fed farming, including drought, flooding, crop pests, food price swings and post-harvest losses.

The report also points to broader nutrition challenges. Adult obesity has risen globally, while nearly 150 million children under five remain stunted. The Independent noted that Uganda has reduced child stunting over the past decade, but poor infant feeding, limited dietary diversity and food insecurity remain concerns. Healthy diets are also increasingly unaffordable: the global average cost reached 4.28 purchasing power parity dollars per person per day in 2025, and 66.6% of Africans could not afford such a diet.

The UN agencies warn that conflict, climate shocks, high energy and fertiliser costs and reduced humanitarian funding could reverse progress. The article says investments in irrigation, roads, storage, processing, markets, climate-smart farming and social protection will be important for Uganda and other African countries seeking to lower food costs and strengthen resilience.