Nearly 2.7-billion people, about one in three worldwide, could not afford a healthy diet in 2025, according to the United Nations’ State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2026.
Africa has the highest share of any region: about two-thirds of its people, roughly a billion, could not afford a healthy diet.
The report points to rising food prices, conflict, economic inequality and more frequent climate extremes. At the same time, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that about 13% of the world’s food is lost between harvest and sale.
The UN found that households, retailers and food services waste a further 19% of food available to consumers.
On Friday, October 16, the FAO marks World Food Day under the theme Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow.
But saving wasted food won’t feed families who cannot afford to buy it.
