More than 295 million people across 53 countries and territories suffered from acute hunger in 2024, with Bangladesh listed among the top five nations most affected, according to the Global Report on Food Crises 2025 published by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The report reveals that 23.6 million people in Bangladesh faced high levels of acute food insecurity at its 2024 peak—placing it behind Nigeria, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but ahead of Ethiopia, Yemen, and Afghanistan.
The findings reflect a worsening trend globally. Acute food insecurity affected 22.6% of the assessed population in 2024, an increase of 13.7 million from the previous year.
This marks the fifth consecutive year that over one-fifth of the assessed global population has suffered from acute hunger.
The report attributes the crisis to multiple drivers. Conflict remained the leading cause, impacting over 140 million people in war-affected regions such as the Gaza Strip and South Sudan.
Economic shocks—including rising inflation and currency depreciation—pushed an estimated 59.4 million people into hunger across 15 countries, with Afghanistan and Yemen bearing the brunt.
Extreme weather events affected more than 96 million people worldwide, particularly in Southern Africa, Southern Asia, and the Horn of Africa. These climate shocks continue to threaten fragile food systems and deepen malnutrition.
The top 10 countries with the largest number of food-insecure people—Nigeria, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Yemen, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Syria—have remained unchanged since 2023.
These ten countries alone accounted for 196 million people—around two-thirds of all those experiencing acute food insecurity globally.
Several of these nations, including Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Syria, Yemen, and Afghanistan, have consistently appeared in the rankings since 2016, indicating persistent vulnerabilities in their food systems.
At a Glance: Most Affected Countries in 2024
- Nigeria – 31.8 million
- Sudan – 25.6 million
- DR Congo – 25.6 million
- Bangladesh – 23.6 million
- Ethiopia – 22.0 million
The FAO and its partners warn that without urgent action to address the underlying causes of hunger—including conflict resolution, economic recovery, and climate adaptation—the number of people living in crisis conditions will continue to grow.
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