Conflict and Aid Cuts Drive Global Hunger to Crisis Point

Jomo Kwame Sundaram

Wars, economic shocks, climate change, and aid cuts have worsened food crises in recent years, with nearly 300 million people now threatened by starvation.

Why hunger?

Global food production has increased nearly fourfold since 1960. FAO statistics show today’s output could feed over 11 billion people—more than the current population of 8 billion.

Clearly, hunger cannot be blamed on food shortages or population growth. Yet, the number of hungry people has been rising for over a decade. So, if there is enough food for everyone, why are so many still hungry?

The 2025 Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC) reveals that 2024 marked the sixth consecutive year of high and rising acute food insecurity, with 295.3 million people starving.

In 2023, 733 million people experienced chronic hunger. Over 22.6% of the 53 countries and territories assessed in the GRFC were especially vulnerable.

Food output continued to rise in 2024. For instance, in 2022, the world produced 11 billion metric tonnes of food, including 9.6 billion tonnes of cereals like maize, rice, and wheat.

Most of the hungry are poor. Poverty lines are meant to reflect the ability to meet basic needs—mainly food. However, the mismatch between poverty and hunger suggests inconsistencies in data and definitions.

More than 700 million people live on less than $2.15 per day and lack sufficient food. An estimated 3.4 billion people, earning under $5.50 daily, also likely face nutritional shortfalls.

According to new World Bank data, 838 million people (10.5% of the global population) were in extreme poverty in 2022—125 million more than previously estimated. It predicts 750 million will remain extremely poor in 2025.

The extreme poverty line has risen to $3 per day. In 2022, the poor accounted for 48% of the global population. With weak economic growth and rising inequality, their future remains grim.

While calories are essential, dietary diversity is key to proper nutrition. Most poor people can't afford to eat enough, let alone healthily.

Women and girls are more likely to go hungry than men. Households led by women generally suffer higher hunger rates. Indigenous peoples, who make up under 5% of the population, account for 15% of the extremely poor and suffer more hunger.

Why food crises?

The GRFC 2025 notes that 2024 was the sixth straight year of rising acute food insecurity, with 295.3 million people starving.

Conflict, economic crisis, aid cuts, and worsening climate change are fueling this rise. As climate impacts intensify, food insecurity is expected to grow further this year.

Conditions worsened in 19 countries and territories, largely due to internal conflict—especially in Myanmar, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Even before aid cuts, half the countries and territories in GRFC 2025 were already in crisis. Droughts are worsening in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, despite La Niña rains.

USAID and other donors have slashed food programs for over 14 million children in Sudan, Yemen, and Haiti. G7 countries are expected to cut aid by 28% in 2026 compared to 2024.

The GRFC 2025 also reported that humanitarian food aid dropped by 30% in both 2023 and 2024.

In 2024, 65.9 million people in Asia were food insecure, with the worst rates in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). There, 33.5 million people—44% of the assessed population—faced food crises.

Starvation as a weapon

The number of starving people more than doubled in 2024, with over 95% of the increase in the Gaza Strip and Sudan.

Wars destroy food systems. In December 2024, famine was declared in Sudan, where over 24 million people are starving due to civil war.

Despite being Africa’s largest agricultural landholder, Sudan’s war has led to massive destruction and abandonment of farmland. Yet, it remains the world’s top exporter of oily seeds—highlighting its agricultural potential even amid chaos.

Hunger is also worsening in Haiti, Mali, and South Sudan. The UN’s Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has labeled the starvation, malnutrition, and death in these regions as catastrophic.

In Gaza, food deprivation has become a weapon of war. Since October 2023, Israel’s blockade has placed 2.1 million Palestinians at critical risk of famine, cutting off access to food and humanitarian aid.

Despite official denials, global condemnation—including from Israel's allies—has forced some acknowledgment. In May, the Israeli government established the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation to “calibrate” calorie rations—effectively maintaining starvation without mass death.