Rome: As the world marks World Food Day on October 16, the United Nations has sounded a grave warning about a worsening hunger crisis, with its leading food aid agency crippled by severe funding cuts that threaten to roll back decades of progress in the fight against malnutrition.
A Day of Awareness
World Food Day, observed annually to promote global awareness of hunger and malnutrition, carries deeper urgency this year. The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), celebrating its 80th anniversary, says that despite technological and agricultural advances, one in twelve people worldwide still face hunger.
The 2025 theme, “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future,” underscores the need for united global action to transform food systems, tackle inequality, and ensure everyone has access to safe, nutritious food. The FAO warns that without coordinated efforts, climate shocks, conflicts, and economic instability could push millions more into food insecurity.
FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said that, “The actions we take today will directly impact the future. We must produce more with less and work towards a future that is inclusive and equitable.”
Food is life.
Food is land.
Food is roots.
Food is memory.
Food is a right, not a privilege.On this #WorldFoodDay, as we mark #FAO80, let’s all walk together #HandinHand.
Honour our roots and cultivate innovation. Harvest a better future for all.#4Betters #BetterTogether pic.twitter.com/GUFhUv52iK
— Food and Agriculture Organization (@FAO) October 16, 2025
Unprecedented Funding Crisis
This year’s commemoration coincides with a crisis at the World Food Programme (WFP), the UN’s primary food aid organization, which says its operations are being severely undermined by a collapse in donor support.
According to a report released Wednesday, the WFP expects its 2025 funding to fall by nearly 40 percent, from $10 billion last year to just $6.4 billion. The sharp decline stems mainly from major reductions by top donors, including the United States, which has slashed its contribution from $4.5 billion to $1.5 billion this year.
“We are watching the lifeline for millions of people disintegrate before our eyes,” warned Cindy McCain, Executive Director of the WFP. “This is not just a funding gap – it’s a reality gap between what we need to do and what we can afford to do.”
The agency says nearly 14 million people in Afghanistan, Congo, Haiti, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan could soon be pushed into emergency hunger levels as aid pipelines dry up. Staffing has already been reduced by about 6,000 positions.
This #WorldFoodDay marks @FAO‘s 80th anniversary.#BetterTogether, in 8 decades, we have reached many historic milestones.
Let’s continue working #HandInHand to secure a future with food, dignity & hope for all, leaving no one behind.#4Betters #FAO80 pic.twitter.com/7P3MLdvksr
— Food and Agriculture Organization (@FAO) October 15, 2025
Hunger on the Rise
While the FAO reports a slight global improvement, the numbers remain staggering. Around 700 million people still go hungry, and 2.3 billion face moderate or severe food insecurity. Only 34 percent of infants between six and 23 months receive adequate nutrition.
The FAO attributes much of this ongoing struggle to climate change, persistent inflation, and conflicts that disrupt supply chains and agricultural production. Food systems, it notes, also account for nearly 30 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, placing immense strain on the planet.
In Africa, undernourishment rose by more than 20 percent last year, while Western Asia saw a 12.7 percent increase. Low-income nations remain disproportionately affected, with limited resources to adapt to climate and market shocks.
Global hunger is at record levels — yet severe funding cuts could leave millions of vulnerable people without lifesaving food assistance.@WFP warns that decades of progress in the fight against hunger are now at risk.https://t.co/7ztcnoWA6M pic.twitter.com/HJaGnm5p0c
— United Nations (@UN) October 15, 2025
Call for Collective Action
The FAO and WFP are urging governments, the private sector, and civil society to close the widening gap between need and aid. The FAO’s “Hand in Hand” initiative calls for investments in sustainable agriculture, stronger food supply chains, and reduced food waste.
As global leaders, aid organizations, and citizens commemorate World Food Day 2025, the message is clear: the fight against hunger cannot wait. Without urgent, coordinated global action, millions could lose not just their livelihoods, but their lives.
