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The number of people affected by hunger globally rose to as many as 828 million in 2021, an increase of about 46 million since 2020 and 150 million since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a United Nations that provides fresh evidence that the world is moving further away from its goal of ending hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition in all its forms by 2030. We must transform our agrifood systems so everyone has access to the food they need. Read the 's to learn more.

Have you ever wondered where your coffee beans come from? Chances are it was prepared in Guatemala, ninth largest coffee exporter in the world. In the remote region of Ixil, far off the beaten tracks of the northern part of the country, low literacy rates and poverty have long plagued the Maya Ixil Indigenous population. Employment opportunities are far and few between and many parents feel that they have no choice but to bring their children to work with them in coffee fields to make ends meet. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and partners in the Ixil region are tackling child labour and poverty by promoting education and safe youth employment in the coffee industry.

Producers: Anais Hotin, Charlotta Lomas
Presenter: André Vornic, FAO
Photo credit: © FAO/Santiago Billy

’s flagship publication, the , shows how efforts to make progress towards SDG 2 - Zero Hunger, are proving insufficient.

If you’re aged between 5 and 19, wants to hear from you! Use your imagination and create a poster showing a world where everyone has access to healthy and affordable food. 

Through an project in Fiji, fishers learn how to access aquatic species further offshore and are given the skills and equipment they need to do it. It’s about building capacity and resilience.

Global food imports will soon hit a new record of US$1.8 trillion this year -  higher prices and transport costs account for the bulk of the expected increase, according to a  .

Food security means having regular access to enough safe and nutritious food to lead an active and healthy life. That makes food safety an integral part of food security.

Thanks to its nutrient-rich composition milk is the third biggest supplier of protein and the fifth largest provider of energy, improving global nutrition and strengthening human health. 

Safe food is one of the most critical guarantors for good health. Only when food is safe can we fully benefit from its nutritional value and from the mental and social benefits of sharing a safe meal. In contrast, unsafe foods are the cause of many diseases. Globally, 1 in 10 people are affected by foodborne diseases annually. The good news is that most foodborne diseases are preventable. World Food Safety Day is an opportunity to strengthen efforts to ensure that the food we eat is safe, mainstream food safety in the public agenda and reduce the burden of foodborne diseases.

The is working with countries on the preparation of $12 billion of new projects for the next 15 months to respond to the food security crisis. These projects are expected to support agriculture, social protection to cushion the effects of higher food prices, and water and irrigation projects. In addition, the World Bank’s existing portfolio includes undisbursed balances of $18.7 billion in projects with direct links to food and nutrition security issues, covering agriculture and natural resources, nutrition, social protection, and other sectors.

The art of making tea dates back over 5,000 years to the Chinese Shang Dynasty. Today, globally, tea is the most popular drink, second only to water. Let's celebrate tea and the farmers who produce it!

Humans rely on a shockingly low number of plants for the majority of our daily calories. Thousands of plant species and varieties that fed our ancestors are already extinct, and we are losing more every day. Diversity is our food’s life insurance. The  , established through the  , supports farmers in developing countries to safeguard and use plant genetic diversity for food security and help these communities cope with climate change. 

The origin of tea may stretch back more than 5000 years, but its contribution to health, culture and socioeconomic development is still as relevant today. Tea is currently grown in very localized areas, and supports over 13 million people, including smallholder farmers and their households, who depend on the tea sector for their livelihoods. International Tea Day (21 May) is an opportunity to celebrate the cultural heritage, health benefits and economic importance of tea, while working to make its production sustainable.

The releases the latest findings on the number of people facing acute hunger and malnutrition. It also provides an analysis of the drivers that are contributing to food crises, including conflicts, extreme weather events and economic shocks, as well as COVID-19-related economic effects. While it does not include the impacts of the war in Ukraine, it exposes the interconnected nature and fragility of global food systems, with serious consequences for global food and nutrition security.

Set to benefit 4 million people living in rural Niger, a five-year programme funded by the Millennium Challenge Corporation and supported by UNOPS aims to reduce poverty and promote economic growth. For farmers like Hamza Saidou, repairing and developing existing irrigation infrastructure can help boost agricultural yield, benefiting local economies and enhancing food security: “The crops that I cultivate require a lot of water, so I have to draw more water from the well. But with the rehabilitation project, I could even increase the moringa seeds.”