Key findings of the report

• Global hunger decreased to an estimated 8.2% in 2024 from 2022 levels.
  • However, hunger continues to climb in most subregions of Africa and Western Asia.
• Moderate or severe food insecurity has declined gradually since 2021.
• Food prices rose throughout 2023 and 2024, pushing up the average cost of a healthy diet globally. 
  • The pandemic and the war in Ukraine have intensified food price inflation worldwide
  • Despite the increase, people unable to afford a healthy diet in the world fell from 2.76 billion in 2019 to 2.60 billion in 2024.
• Anaemia in women (aged 15–49 years) and adult obesity (12.1% in 2012 to15.8% in 2022) on the rise globally.

India related findings

• Excluding India, there is an increasing trend in lower-middle-income countries in the number of people unable to afford a healthy diet.
• Mobile phone adoption by fishermen and wholesalers in Kerala reduced price dispersion and waste.

Key recommendation

• Time-bound and targeted fiscal measures, such as temporary tax relief on essential goods and social protection Programmes.
• Align fiscal and monetary policies to stabilize markets.
• Robust agricultural market information systems are key to managing price volatility and preventing speculation.