State of Food and Nutrition in the World’ (SOFI) 2025 report
Kartavya Desk Staff
Syllabus: Health
Source: WHO
Context: The UN’s State of Food and Nutrition in the World’ (SOFI) 2025 report revealed that 8.2% of the global population — around 720 million people — were affected by chronic hunger in 2024.
About State of Food and Nutrition in the World’ (SOFI) 2025 report:
• Published by: FAO, WFP, IFAD, WHO, and UNICEF.
• Purpose: Tracks global progress on SDG 2 — zero hunger & malnutrition eradication.
• 2025 Focus: Post-COVID recovery, food affordability, regional inequalities, and projection till 2030.
Key Features of SOFI 2025 Report:
• Global Underperformance: Despite marginal improvements, global hunger levels in 2024 remain above pre-pandemic benchmarks, jeopardising the 2030 SDG-2 target.
• Regional Disparities: Africa, though home to fewer people than Asia, sees over 20% of its population undernourished, reflecting stark regional imbalances.
• Asia’s Burden: Asia continues to host nearly half of the world’s food-insecure population due to sheer numbers, despite modest regional improvements.
• Southeast Progress: Countries in Southeast Asia and South America registered slight declines in hunger, driven by social protection and agri-nutrition reforms.
• Diet Affordability: Over 3 billion people globally are unable to afford a healthy diet, pushing them toward calorie-dense but nutrient-poor options.
• Climate & Conflict Linkages: Ongoing wars and climate events like droughts and floods remain primary catalysts for hunger post-2020.
• Sluggish Recovery: Only a 65 million decline in undernourishment is projected by 2030—nowhere close to the ‘zero hunger’ ambition.
India and SOFI 2025 Report:
• Affordability Crisis:6% of India’s population cannot afford a nutritious diet, indicating a failure in food access despite surplus grain stocks.
• Rural–Urban Divide: Urban food access has improved due to income recovery, while rural India suffers due to PDS inefficiencies and price volatility.
• Child Malnutrition: India still ranks among the highest in child stunting and wasting, indicating persistent early-age nutritional failure.
• Hidden Hunger: Micronutrient deficiencies remain rampant due to cereal-heavy diets with inadequate intake of fruits, vegetables, and proteins.
• Policy Shift Needed: Experts demand inclusion of millets, pulses, and fortified foods into public schemes to tackle undernutrition holistically.
Analysis of Report:
• Positive Developments: Global Gains: Hunger prevalence declined from 8.7% (2022) to 8.2% (2024), showing slow but visible improvement. Regional Recovery: Progress in Southeast Asia and Latin America offers hope for replicable best practices in targeted interventions. Diet Awareness: Governments and civil society have amplified focus on diet quality and nutrition education globally. Institutional Convergence: The collaboration of FAO, WFP, IFAD, WHO, and UNICEF fosters comprehensive, multi-sectoral responses. Data Systems: Hunger mapping and nutrition tracking technologies enable quicker and more targeted interventions.
• Global Gains: Hunger prevalence declined from 8.7% (2022) to 8.2% (2024), showing slow but visible improvement.
• Regional Recovery: Progress in Southeast Asia and Latin America offers hope for replicable best practices in targeted interventions.
• Diet Awareness: Governments and civil society have amplified focus on diet quality and nutrition education globally.
• Institutional Convergence: The collaboration of FAO, WFP, IFAD, WHO, and UNICEF fosters comprehensive, multi-sectoral responses.
• Data Systems: Hunger mapping and nutrition tracking technologies enable quicker and more targeted interventions.
• Negative Trends: Post-COVID Setback: The pandemic reversed a decade of gains, leaving 96 million more people hungry than in 2015. Africa’s Challenge: By 2030, 60% of global undernourished will be in Africa, highlighting the urgency for continental support. SDG Drift: With just a 65 million projected decline by 2030, the pace is too slow to meet global targets. Inequality Spike: The cost of healthy food has risen disproportionately, hurting low-income groups most severely. Persistent Undernourishment: Despite surplus global production, equitable distribution remains a major bottleneck.
• Post-COVID Setback: The pandemic reversed a decade of gains, leaving 96 million more people hungry than in 2015.
• Africa’s Challenge: By 2030, 60% of global undernourished will be in Africa, highlighting the urgency for continental support.
• SDG Drift: With just a 65 million projected decline by 2030, the pace is too slow to meet global targets.
• Inequality Spike: The cost of healthy food has risen disproportionately, hurting low-income groups most severely.
• Persistent Undernourishment: Despite surplus global production, equitable distribution remains a major bottleneck.
Way Ahead:
• Nutrition-centric PDS: Revamp India’s food system by adding diverse, locally grown, and nutrient-rich foods into subsidised channels.
• Diversify Agriculture: Move beyond rice-wheat dominance to include millets, pulses, and horticulture to improve dietary balance.
• Resilient Food Systems: Invest in region-specific, climate-adaptive food systems to enhance food security and reduce disaster-linked hunger.
• Global Coordination: Support Africa and South Asia through climate finance, food aid, and region-focused SDG cooperation.
• Improve Affordability: Align food prices with income growth via minimum wages, inflation targeting, and better supply chains.
Conclusion:
The SOFI 2025 report serves as a reality check on SDG-2, highlighting the growing gap between commitments and outcomes. For India, tackling hidden hunger and diet affordability must be policy priorities. True food security lies not in quantity alone but in nutrition and equity.