The 2025 Global Hunger Index (GHI) report, titled “20 Years of Tracking Progress: Time to Recommit to Zero Hunger” is released.

• The report warns that at the current pace, 56 countries will fail to reach the low hunger threshold by 2030, jeopardizing the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 – Zero Hunger.

Key Highlights from the Report

I. Global Trends

• GHI Score Stagnation: The 2025 GHI score is 18.3, showing minimal improvement from 19.0 in 2016, with global hunger remaining in the “moderate” category.
• Countries with Deterioration: Fiji, Jordan, Libya, Solomon Islands, and Syria have 2025 GHI scores worse than in 2000.
• Severity Levels: 
  • Alarming Hunger: Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Madagascar, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen face “alarming” hunger levels.
  • Serious Hunger: Hunger is classified as “serious” in 35 countries.
  • Reversal in 27 Nations: Hunger has increased since 2016, reversing earlier improvements.
• Progress:
  • Most Improved Countries: Mozambique, Rwanda, Somalia, Togo, and Uganda have made notable strides.
  • Tajikistan’s Success: Once “alarming”, Tajikistan’s hunger level is now nearing low, demonstrating the impact of targeted interventions.
  • Consistent Performers: Angola, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Nepal, and Sierra Leone show how sustained policies and investments can reduce hunger.
• Regional Disparities
  • Africa South of the Sahara:  Continues to have the highest hunger levels, with six countries — DR Congo, Liberia, Madagascar, Kenya, Somalia, and Zambia — reaching “extremely alarming” levels.
  • South Asia: Hunger remains serious, driven by malnutrition and child stunting.
  • East & Southeast Asia: Exhibit low hunger levels, though progress has decelerated in the past decade.
  • Europe & Central Asia: Maintain the lowest GHI scores globally, reflecting strong food security systems.

II. India Specific Report

• Status: GHI 2025 score remains serious but shows gradual improvement.
• Rank: India ranks 102nd out of 123 countries with a GHI score of 25.8, 3.4 points lower than its 2016 score.
• Undernourishment: Affects 172 million people, 13.5 million more than in 2016.
• Child Stunting: About one in three children is stunted — has declined yet extremely alarming.
• Child Wasting: Slight improvement but remains extremely alarming.
• Underlying Factors: Maternal undernutrition, poor sanitation, and socioeconomic disparities.
• Double Burden: Rising obesity and overweight indicate nutrition transition.

III. Key Drivers of Global Hunger

• Conflict and War: Prolonged armed conflicts continue to displace populations and disrupt food systems.
• Climate Change: Erratic rainfall, droughts, and floods are intensifying food insecurity.
• Weak Governance: Lack of political will and poor institutional capacity hinder sustained policy action.

What is the Global Hunger Index (GHI)?

• Nature: The Global Hunger Index is an annual, peer-reviewed measure published jointly by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe.
• Objective: Its objective is to track and compare hunger globally, regionally, and by country, highlighting where action is most urgently needed.
• The GHI aims to stimulate policy dialogue, accountability, and efforts toward reducing hunger and achieving Zero Hunger (SDG 2). 
• Data Source: UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO), World Bank, Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program and UN Inter-agency Group for Child­ Mortality Estimation(UN IGME).

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Methodology

• The GHI consolidates multiple dimensions of hunger and undernutrition into a single score (0 to 100), where 0 is best (no hunger) and 100 is worst. 
• Main Indicators: There are four component indicators, each reflecting a different facet of hunger and nutrition.
  • Undernourishment: The share of the population whose caloric intake is insufficient.
  • Child stunting: The share of children under the age of five who have low height for their age, reflecting chronic undernutrition
  • Child wasting: The share of children under the age of five who have low weight for their height, reflecting acute undernutrition.
  • Child mortality: The share of children who die before their fifth birthday, reflecting in part the fatal mix of inadequate nutrition and unhealthy environments

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