Global Hunger Index 2025: Pakistan Faces Severe Food Insecurity, Worst in South Asia

Islamabad, October 15 (Daily Kiran) : The Global Hunger Index 2025, released on October 15, highlights Pakistan’s alarming position as the country with the highest hunger score in South Asia. This surge in hunger cases is attributed to economic instability, climate shocks, and ongoing global conflicts, exacerbating the food security crisis in the nation.

The report, co-authored by the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict at Ruhr University Bochum and the Swiss organization Helvetas, is themed “No Security Without Food Security.” It indicates that progress in South Asia has stalled significantly, with conditions in Pakistan and Afghanistan deteriorating since 2018.

Economic instability and soaring food prices have severely limited purchasing power, restricting access to food for many. The level of malnutrition in Pakistan has escalated from “low” in 2018 to “moderate,” with child wasting now at a high level.

The situation across South Asia remains critical, with a regional score of 23.5. While this is an improvement from the troubling score of 37.5 in 2000, most of the progress occurred before 2018.

Since 2000, Pakistan and Afghanistan have moved from the “alarming” category to “serious,” yet the rate of child stunting remains significantly high. Child mortality rates have decreased from previous levels but remain a concern.

The report warns of ongoing severe food insecurity in the region. Heavy rains and floods have damaged crops in parts of Pakistan and Bangladesh, while Afghanistan faces below-average rainfall and high temperatures affecting its grain production.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), between 2023 and 2025, 218 million people in South Asia (including Iran) will suffer from malnutrition, accounting for nearly one-third of the global malnourished population.

Globally, hunger is on the rise again after nearly two decades of progress. The 2026 global score stands at 18.1, worse than the 17.6 recorded in 2018.

Since 2018, hunger has increased in 32 countries, and 57 nations are on track to fail to meet even the lowest hunger levels by 2030. Among the four indicators used in this index, three—malnutrition, child stunting, and child wasting—have worsened, while only child mortality has seen a slight decline.

The primary causes of this deterioration include the highest levels of armed conflict since World War II and recurrent severe natural disasters. Ongoing conflicts in Iran and disruptions in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb have driven up costs for fuel, transportation, and fertilizers.

Additionally, the war in Ukraine and sanctions on Black Sea exports threaten to increase wheat prices, putting essential goods out of reach for many in the Global South.

Compounding this crisis, international spending on food security has returned to levels seen in 2016-2017, forcing cuts in aid programs and emergency food distribution. The report urges governments to restore funding for humanitarian aid and data collection to prevent and address future crises.