Sofi 2025 report: global hunger eases, but food costs & malnutrition pose new threats

The 2025 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report, a joint publication by several UN agencies, presents a mixed but urgent picture of global food systems. While there has been a notable decrease in global hunger, the world faces persistent challenges from rising food costs, deepening inequalities, and a growing malnutrition crisis.

The report highlights that global hunger decreased to an estimated 8.2% in 2024. However, this positive trend is not uniform, with hunger continuing to climb in most subregions of Africa and Western Asia, areas often impacted by conflict, climate shocks, and economic downturns.

A primary driver of food insecurity has been persistent food price inflation through 2023 and 2024. The report notes that the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine have significantly intensified this trend, pushing the average cost of a healthy diet to new highs. Despite this, the number of people unable to afford a healthy diet fell from 2.76 billion in 2019 to 2.60 billion in 2024. This improvement is largely attributed to progress in several large middle-income countries, with India’s performance being a significant factor.

Fun Fact: Globally, about one-third of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted every year. Reducing this waste is a critical lever for improving food security and sustainability.

Key Global vs. India-Specific Findings

The report draws specific attention to India’s role and unique challenges. The findings underscore a divergence in trends when India’s data is considered separately, particularly in lower-middle-income countries.

Recent Developments & Policy Responses

A critical development shaping India’s food security landscape is the five-year extension of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), announced in late 2023 to be effective from January 1, 2024. This landmark policy provides free food grains to approximately 81.35 crore beneficiaries, making it one of the largest food welfare schemes in the world and a powerful tool against hunger.

Analogy: The “double burden of malnutrition” is like a seesaw that is dangerously unbalanced on both ends. On one side, there’s a lack of essential nutrients causing stunting and wasting. On the other, an excess of energy-dense, low-nutrient foods leads to obesity and related diseases. Balancing this seesaw requires a focus on nutritional quality, not just quantity.

Key Recommendations from the SOFI Report

The report proposes a multi-pronged strategy to combat food insecurity and stabilize markets. Key recommendations include:

• Fiscal Measures: Implement time-bound and targeted support, such as temporary tax relief on essential goods and robust social protection programmes.
• Aligned Policies: Ensure fiscal and monetary policies are aligned to stabilize markets and control inflation without hurting vulnerable populations.
• Robust Information Systems: Develop strong agricultural market information systems to manage price volatility and prevent speculation.

Mnemonic for SOFI Recommendations: Remember FAR to go far in achieving food security: Fiscal Measures, Aligned Policies, Robust Information Systems.

Critical Policy Appraisal

Fun Fact: Women make up a substantial portion of the agricultural labor force in India, yet they own less than 15% of the land. Empowering women farmers is directly linked to improved household nutrition and food security.

Analytical Lens: UPSC Focus (Mains & Prelims)

Conceptual Basis

The legal backbone for food security in India is the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA). This landmark legislation marked a paradigm shift from a welfare-based approach to a rights-based approach to food. It legally entitles a significant portion of the population to receive subsidized food grains, anchoring the Right to Food as an implicit component of the fundamental Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution.

UPSC Integration: Connecting the Dots

• GS Paper 2 (Polity & Governance): The topic is central to welfare schemes, rights-based issues, and the functioning of federalism (Centre-State roles in procurement and distribution).
• GS Paper 3 (Economy & Agriculture): It directly connects to the PDS, food subsidies, buffer stocks, Minimum Support Price (MSP), agricultural marketing, and inflation management.
• GS Paper 1 (Society) & GS Paper 3 (Environment): It links to poverty, malnutrition, women’s empowerment, and the impact of climate change on agricultural patterns and livelihoods.

Future Outlook

The future of India’s food security policy will be defined by the transition from ensuring basic calorie intake to providing nutritional security. The long-term challenge is to build a food system that is not only productive but also sustainable, equitable, and resilient to climate change. Policy focus must shift towards diversifying the food basket, strengthening supply chains, and empowering smallholder farmers, who are the backbone of Indian agriculture. The extension of PMGKAY until 2028 provides a crucial safety net, but the next five years must be used to build a more robust and nutrition-sensitive food ecosystem.

Prelims Practice Question (MCQ)

Question: With reference to the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, consider the following statements:

1. It legally entitles up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population to receive subsidized food grains.
2. The eldest woman of the household of age 18 years or above is considered the head of the household for the purpose of issuing ration cards.
3. The Act is implemented and monitored exclusively by the Central Government through the Food Corporation of India (FCI).

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (b) Explanation: Statement 1 is correct about the coverage targets under the NFSA. Statement 2 is also correct, as the Act mandates women’s empowerment by making the eldest woman the head of the household for ration card purposes. Statement 3 is incorrect; the identification of beneficiaries and implementation of the PDS is a shared responsibility between the Central and State Governments, not the exclusive domain of the Centre.

Mains Sample Question

Question (15 Marks): The recent SOFI report indicates that while global hunger is decreasing, challenges of food affordability and malnutrition persist. In this context, critically analyze the effectiveness of India’s Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) as a long-term strategy for ensuring not just food security, but also nutritional security.

Mind Map Outline (Revision Structure)

• State of Food Security and Nutrition (SOFI) 2025 Report
  • Core UN Publication: Highlights global trends in hunger and nutrition.
  • Key Global Findings
    • Hunger: Decreased to 8.2% in 2024, but rising in Africa & Western Asia.
    • Food Affordability: Cost of a healthy diet increased due to inflation, but the number of people unable to afford it fell to 2.60 billion.
    • Malnutrition Crisis: Rise of the “double burden” - anaemia in women and adult obesity.
  • India-Specific Context
    • Impact: India’s progress significantly influences global averages.
    • Policy Response: Extension of PMGKAY (2024-2028) as a major safety net.
    • Technological Success: Kerala fishermen’s use of mobile phones cited as a model.
  • Policy Recommendations (Mnemonic: FAR)
    • Fiscal Measures (Targeted support)
    • Aligned Policies (Fiscal & Monetary)
    • Robust Information Systems (Agricultural markets)
  • Critical Appraisal of India’s Food Policy
    • Challenges:
      • Focus on cereals over nutrition.
      • PDS leakages.
      • Unsustainable agricultural practices (water, soil).
      • Climate change vulnerability.
    • Opportunities (Way Forward):
      • Promote millets (Shree Anna).
      • Leverage technology (digitization).
      • Incentivize crop diversification.
      • Invest in climate-resilient agriculture.
  • ** Analytical Lens (UPSC Focus)**
    • Legal Foundation: National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 (Right to Food under Article 21).
    • Inter-Topic Linkages:
      • Polity (GS-2): Welfare schemes, Federalism.
      • Economy (GS-3): PDS, MSP, Subsidies.
      • Environment (GS-3): Climate change impact.
    • Practice Questions:
      • Prelims MCQ on NFSA provisions.
      • Mains Question on PMGKAY’s long-term effectiveness.