World Hunger in 2025: 10 Countries in Deep Crisis
Written By: Jaya Pathak
1. Yemen : Holy Moley, the place has seen hell. The people of there have done since 2014 is fight, blockades= preventing food deliveries, and now floods destroying the little farmland left. More than half of the country is hungry; over 16 million people. The children are the worst hit. It is a perfect storm of war and poverty, aid makes it in, not much of it, and the cost of staples such as bread have sky-rocketed. Soul-tearing to imagine that families had to choose between medicine or a meal.
2. Afghanistan: Since the Taliban once again got control, things have degenerated. I recall reading that women cannot work and it is a blow to family incomes and droughts causing rivers to go dry. One man was once in a refugee camp near by , and she told there children come there with obese stomach due to malnutrition. Around 23 million people, or more than half the population, require food assistance. No, the earthquakes and floods in 2025 did not help; it is as like nature is adding layer on top of political chaos.
3. South Sudan : This is a hard one – youngest nation in the world, civil war ridden round the clock since day one. Crops have been destroyed during floods year after year, and violence has meant that farmers are not even safe to plant. I watched a documentary in which people spend miles in the pursuit of a dirty water, food is unmentionable. About 7 million live in danger, and famine rings bells at certain locations. Infuriating; it could be so much, then war holds it back.
4. Democratic republic of Congo : massive nation, resourceful but the inequality. East conflicts, where militias are battling it out over minerals, have left millions displaced and stranded in camps with nothing. It has been exacerbated by Ebola epidemics and today more violence in 2025. A man worked there as an aid-worker and said that children scrape around in the rubble, looking for roots. Roots! More than 25 million hungry, many chronically.
5. Syria : torn more than ten years ago, followed by earthquakes last year, a blow on top of a wound. Sanctions, crops in the field destroyed, soaring prices even bread costs a privilege. I have read about life in refugee tents, where families of several people have only one meal per day. Some 12 million are in danger of insecurity with children skipping school because they are too weak. It never ends; peace talks take place, but hunger never sleeps.
6. Haiti : Everything has come to this Caribbean spot, earthquakes, hurricanes, gangs running wild. Political gridlock implies no stable government to straighten out, and violence prevents imported food. A man went there after the 2021 quake and reported markets were empty, people were boiling leaves to make soup. More than 5 million starving, and malnutrition is rampant among children.
7. Somalia : Years of droughts, as well as conflicts of al-Shabaab that made difficult to provide aid. I remember stories of cattle collapsing, people walking to camps. Warnings of famine appear with every dry season, and the 2025 El Nian goo did not contribute to the causes. About 6 million are afflicted, and many nomadic herders are left emptyhanded.
8. Sudan : Civil war erupting once more, displacing the millions. Abandoned farms, closed markets, blocked aid. Why new apocalypse in 2025? Starvation is reported in Darfur, similar to the previous times. More than 18 million starving people â half the country. And tragic, when there was so good land to waste.
9. Central African Republic : Forgotten crisis, would say. Unlimited rebel conflicts, lack of infrastructure and gold/diamonds money that creates more violence and people starves. Malnutrition is rife; one report stated half the children are stunted. This dire need population is approximately 2 million out of a total population of 5 million.
10. Ethiopia : The effects of Tigray war, as well as droughts and locust swarms. We have witnessed photographs of hardened soil where there ought to be crops. More than 20 million are hungry, ethnic tensions complicate aid. It is an engine in Africa, but hunger is keeping it back.
Conclusion:
Climatic strangeness is gearing up â temperatures getting hotter, storms wilder, destroying the harvests. Conflicts such as in Ukraine inflated global food prices with the poorest nations being the worst hit. Bad governance, poverty cycles and gender inequality (women tend to eat last) provide additional fuel.
Think of Yemen or Sudan ‰ wars halt fields and relief vehicles. In Haiti or Somalia, it is nature and the volatility of things. and I have nothing to say yet about how other countries could do more but frequently do not. NGO assistance is providing community gardens in Ethiopia.
Women collectively form co-ops in Afghanistan that manage to sneak in a little farming. And yet it is not sufficient. What are we going to do? Donate to organizations such as WFP or Oxfam (A little money can purchase meals). Raise awareness; post, talk to friends. Demand more effective policies by push governments better aid, climate action. I have begun purchasing fair-trade products to help the farm owners directly. It is just a little but this is something. Ultimately, this crisis demonstrates our interconnectivity. You have hunger in Yemen that is influencing global stability, migration, everything.
A hungry Somalian child, today, can find himself in a refugee camp, a war zone, or a boat in search of life. These are not remote tragedies: these are alarm bells. But by allowing hunger to sprout in the corner and spread in its obscurity, we will end up one day surprised in its strokes upon the other half of us. And though it is tempting to read all this and think: what can I do! We need not. Each post, each donation, each conversation creates a splash. And given their ripples, we can create waves. We don’t need Superheroes we need ordinary people who have enough heart to do something.
What is the Global Hunger Crisis 2025?
The Global Hunger Crisis 2025 refers to the widespread and intensifying food insecurity affecting millions worldwide due to a combination of conflict, climate change, economic instability, and poor governance. Over 800 million people globally face hunger, with the crisis particularly severe in conflict-ridden and climate-impacted nations.
Which countries are most affected by food insecurity in 2025?
The 10 countries worst affected by hunger in 2025 are:
Yemen
Afghanistan
South Sudan
Democratic Republic of Congo
Syria
Haiti
Somalia
Sudan
Central African Republic
Ethiopia
Each of these countries faces a unique blend of armed conflict, climate disasters, political instability, and economic hardship.
Why is Yemen facing such extreme hunger?
Yemen’s crisis stems from years of civil war, blockades restricting food and medicine imports, natural disasters, and a collapsing economy. Over 16 million Yemenis are food insecure, with children being the worst affected. Aid access remains limited.
How has the situation in Afghanistan worsened under the Taliban?
Following the Taliban’s takeover, many Afghan women lost the right to work, cutting family incomes. Coupled with severe droughts, floods, and earthquakes, this has left over 23 million people in need of food aid in 2025.
What is happening in South Sudan?
Answer:
As the world’s youngest country, South Sudan has endured ongoing civil wars, flooding, and poor infrastructure. Farmers are unable to safely grow crops, and around 7 million people are facing hunger.
How do conflicts in DRC and Sudan contribute to hunger?
In both the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan, violence displaces millions, blocks aid routes, and destroys farmland. In DRC, over 25 million people are hungry. In Sudan, over 18 million people – half the population – are food insecure amid a brutal civil conflict.
Is climate change a factor in the hunger crisis?
Yes, climate change plays a major role. Droughts, floods, hurricanes, and locust invasions have destroyed crops and disrupted food production. Countries like Somalia, Ethiopia, and Haiti have suffered deeply from extreme weather in 2025.
How do economic sanctions and inflation worsen hunger?
In countries like Syria and Yemen, sanctions have isolated economies and made basic food unaffordable. Global events like the Ukraine conflict have raised food prices, making it harder for poor nations to import essentials like wheat and rice.
What role does gender inequality play in food insecurity?
In many cultures, women and girls eat last or least during food shortages. When income drops or food becomes scarce, female nutrition suffers first, increasing maternal mortality and child malnourishment.
How many people globally are at risk of hunger in 2025?
According to recent estimates, over 800 million people globally suffer from hunger or malnutrition in 2025. In the 10 worst-hit countries alone, over 150 million face immediate food insecurity.
What are humanitarian organizations doing to help?
Groups like the World Food Programme (WFP), Oxfam, and Doctors Without Borders (MSF) are working on the ground to deliver food, set up community gardens, treat malnutrition, and push for global action. However, funding gaps and blocked access remain critical issues.
What can ordinary people do to help?
Even small actions can make a big impact:
Donate to reputable hunger relief organizations
Raise awareness via social media, blogs, or events
Buy fair-trade products to support ethical supply chains
Advocate for better government policies and global cooperation
Volunteer or start local campaigns supporting global hunger relief
Why should people in developed countries care?
Hunger in one part of the world can lead to instability, migration crises, and global insecurity. Moreover, in a connected world, allowing injustice to thrive anywhere threatens our collective future. Solving hunger is not just about empathy – it’s about shared survival.
Is there hope for the future?
Yes, but it requires urgent, unified action. Peace, investment in agriculture, climate resilience, and gender equity can help reverse the hunger tide. As the article says, we don’t need superheroes – just ordinary people with enough heart to act.
Why are countries like Yemen and South Sudan so heavily impacted?
Both countries have faced prolonged civil wars, collapsing infrastructure, and frequent natural disasters like floods and droughts. These factors make food production nearly impossible and restrict aid access, creating a severe humanitarian crisis.
How is climate change contributing to this crisis?
Climate change has led to extreme weather events—like prolonged droughts, unseasonal flooding, rising temperatures, and locust infestations—which destroy crops and make farming unsustainable. Countries like Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan have been especially hard-hit.
What role do politics and conflict play in worsening hunger?
Armed conflicts displace people, damage farmlands, shut down markets, and block humanitarian aid. In countries like Sudan, Syria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, political instability and violence have paralyzed food systems and led to widespread famine.
How many people are facing hunger in 2025 globally?
According to recent reports, over 830 million people are affected by hunger globally in 2025, with more than 45 million on the brink of starvation in conflict zones alone.
Are children and women the most affected?
Answer:
Yes. Children are especially vulnerable to malnutrition, leading to stunted growth, weakened immune systems, and even death. In many cultures, women and girls eat last or least, making them disproportionately affected during food shortages.
Which international organizations are helping to fight this crisis?
Several humanitarian groups are actively involved, including:
World Food Programme (WFP)
Oxfam International
UNICEF
Doctors Without Borders (MSF)
Action Against Hunger
They provide food aid, malnutrition treatment, and support sustainable farming initiatives in affected regions.
What are some local efforts being made to reduce hunger?
Despite limited resources, many local communities are fighting back:
In Afghanistan, women-led co-operatives have begun small-scale farming.
In Ethiopia, community gardens are being created through NGO support.
In Haiti, urban farming and soup kitchens are making small but significant changes.
How do natural disasters like earthquakes and floods contribute to hunger?
Natural disasters destroy crops, livestock, roads, and water supplies. In places like Haiti and Syria, back-to-back earthquakes and floods have erased years of development and made food production and distribution nearly impossible.
How is hunger connected to migration and global instability?
When people cannot find food or safety in their homeland, they are forced to migrate—sometimes to refugee camps, other times across borders by foot or boat. This creates a ripple effect, straining neighboring countries and fueling political tension and humanitarian emergencies.
What can individuals do to help?
Donate to credible organizations like WFP, Oxfam, or local food charities.
Spread awareness through social media, blogs, or community events.
Advocate for better climate and aid policies from your government.
Support fair-trade and ethical food sourcing to empower farmers globally.
Why is hunger still rising despite international aid?
Aid often faces challenges such as:
Corruption and theft
Blocked borders or unsafe access routes
Insufficient funding
Rapidly changing conflict zones
Local governments restricting or mismanaging distribution
Is food scarcity a global issue, or only in poor countries?
While developing nations are hardest hit, food insecurity exists even in developed countries, though in different forms—such as food deserts or affordability issues. Globally, the inequality in food access is increasing.
What is the difference between food insecurity and famine?
Food insecurity means not having regular access to enough nutritious food.
Famine is the most extreme form of food insecurity, characterized by widespread starvation and death.
Which 10 countries are worst affected by hunger in 2025?
As of 2025, the countries worst affected by hunger include:
Yemen
Afghanistan
South Sudan
Somalia
Ethiopia
Sudan
Syria
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
Haiti
Burkina Faso
These nations are facing acute food insecurity due to war, poverty, political collapse, and climate change.
What is IPC Phase 5, and why is it important?
IPC Phase 5 is the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification for “Catastrophe/Famine.”
This is the highest level of hunger crisis where:
Starvation, death, and extreme malnutrition are widespread.
Immediate humanitarian aid is required to save lives.
Several regions in South Sudan, Somalia, and Gaza are currently classified as IPC Phase 5.
Is the world producing enough food?
Yes, the world does produce enough food to feed the global population. However, the problem lies in distribution, wastage, conflict, and economic inequality. Millions go hungry while tons of food are wasted or diverted for non-consumption uses.
How is technology being used to fight food insecurity?
Modern technologies are offering hope through:
Satellite mapping to monitor drought and crop health.
Mobile cash transfers for families in remote areas.
Smart irrigation and climate-resilient seeds.
Blockchain for transparent food aid tracking.
What are the health effects of prolonged hunger?
Chronic hunger leads to:
Stunting in children
Weakened immune systems
Cognitive delays
Increased maternal and infant mortality
Greater risk of death from common infections like diarrhea and pneumonia.
How has the Ukraine-Russia war affected global hunger?
Ukraine and Russia are major exporters of wheat, corn, and fertilizer. The war disrupted global food supply chains, raising prices, reducing availability in low-income countries, and pushing millions into food insecurity.
What is Wasting vs. Stunting in child hunger?
Wasting: A child is too thin for their height due to acute malnutrition.
Stunting: A child is too short for their age due to chronic malnutrition.
Both are serious health indicators tracked by UNICEF and WHO.
What is the Hunger Hotspot Report?
Published by the FAO and WFP, the Hunger Hotspot Report highlights countries facing escalating hunger emergencies in the near term. It’s used to prioritize funding and deploy rapid humanitarian responses.
Can global hunger be ended by 2030?
Ending global hunger by 2030 is one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 2), but current trends suggest we are off-track due to:
Escalating conflicts
Climate extremes
Funding shortfalls
Lack of political commitment
How much funding is needed to combat the hunger crisis?
The World Food Programme has appealed for over $30 billion in 2025 to meet emergency food needs globally. However, the actual funds received are often less than 50%, creating major shortfalls.
