FAO Yearbook Highlights Global Food Price Inflation and Persistent Hunger Gaps
SDG 2: Zero Hunger | SDG 1: No Poverty | SDG 13: Climate Action
Institutions: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare | Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution
The FAO World Food and Agriculture β Statistical Yearbook 2025 was released today, presenting a synthesis of major global food and agricultural trends. The report warns that despite improvements, the world is still above pre-pandemic levels and remains far from eradicating hunger and food insecurity by 2030 (SDG Target 2.1).
The report provides rich quantitative data on the challenges and state of agrifood systems:
Global Hunger & Malnutrition: Between 713 and 757 million people were undernourished in 2023, marking about 152 million more people than in 2019. The majority of undernourished individuals reside in Asia.
Economic Scale: The global agricultural sectorβs value added grew by 89% in real terms over two decades, reaching $3.8 trillion in 2022. Global food supply crossed 3,000 kilocalories per capita per day in 2023.
Environmental Impact: Agrifood systems account for approximately one-third of total anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Farm-gate emissions rose by 15% between 2000 and 2022.
The report stresses that persistent food price inflation is undermining purchasing power and slowing momentum, calling for coherent fiscal and monetary policies to stabilize markets and protect vulnerable populations.
This statistical yearbook provides essential, updated baseline data for India to monitor its progress on SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and tailor domestic programs like the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and PM-POSHAN. The data underscores the global need for fiscal and monetary policy coherence to stabilize domestic markets against international commodity pressures and highlights the challenge of reorienting agriculture to manage its significant share of global GHG emissions.
Follow the full report here: FAO World Food and Agriculture β Statistical Yearbook 2025