Global hunger is rising again
The new Global Hunger Index shows that the climate crisis and economic uncertainty are slowing progress in the fight against hunger. Helvetas is a co-publisher of the new report and stresses: “There is no security without food security.”
The global hunger situation has been worsening, following almost two decades of improvement. This is shown by the 2026 Global Hunger Index, which has been published annually since 2006. Helvetas, the Swiss organization for development cooperation and humanitarian aid, is a new co-publisher alongside Germany’s Welthungerhilfe and the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict at Ruhr University Bochum.
Conflicts, the climate crisis and economic uncertainty have pushed the global hunger score above its 2018 level for the first time. Helvetas warns against treating food security as a purely humanitarian issue. “There is no security without food security,” says Executive Director Melchior Lengsfeld. Worldwide, 44 countries have serious or alarming levels of hunger.
Conflicts remain a key driver of hunger
Conflicts continue to be among the main causes of hunger, while hunger itself can aggravate instability and social tensions. “Food security is a prerequisite for peace and stability. When we talk about security, we should not think only of weapons and defense. People who do not have enough to eat lose their prospects, become more vulnerable to crises and are less able to adapt to shocks,” says Lengsfeld.
The new report notes that the number of state-based armed conflicts is now at its highest level since the Second World War. At the same time, funding for measures to combat hunger and malnutrition in crisis-affected areas has fallen to its lowest level in ten years.
Helvetas takes action against hunger
The situation is particularly worrying in several countries where Helvetas works. In Madagascar, the level of hunger is “alarming.” Haiti and Niger are also severely affected. The report rates the situation in Mozambique, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Tanzania and Laos as “serious.” Helvetas is taking action against hunger: In Haiti, for example, the Swiss organization is supporting 9,000 households together with the World Food Programme. Through cash assistance, Helvetas enables families to buy food and other essentials and to cope better with crises.
The new Global Hunger Index also shows that progress is possible. Nepal, where Helvetas has been working for decades, is among the countries that have made substantial improvements over recent decades.
Concrete calls for action
“It is unacceptable that people still have to go hungry today,” Lengsfeld warns. “Malnutrition and hunger particularly affect children. They often suffer lifelong consequences and remain trapped in a cycle of poverty.”
The Global Hunger Index calls on governments and international donors to integrate food security more firmly into strategies for peace, security and resilience. “What is needed includes investment in resilient food systems, early warning systems and climate-resilient agriculture.”
The Global Hunger Index is an annual publication that is peer-reviewed by external experts and assesses hunger at global, regional and national levels. It measures hunger using four indicators: undernourishment, child stunting, child wasting and child mortality.
Interview opportunity:
Frank Eyhorn, Food Expert, Helvetas,
frank.eyhorn@helvetas.org, TEL: 076 483 60 70
Further information:
Download the summary of the 2026 GHI report
Event zum GHI in Bern (hybrid) auf Englisch: Global Hunger Index Event 2026 Bern | Helvetas
Global Hunger Index event in Bern
Helvetas invites the public to an event in Bern on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, focusing on the Global Hunger Index and the links between hunger, conflicts, climate and global security. Experts from politics, development cooperation and academia will discuss causes and possible solutions. Participants include Prof. Dr. Chinwe Ifejika Speranza, a member of the Helvetas Board and an expert in sustainable development and food systems, and Meron Wubishet, an expert in food security and resilience from Ethiopia. Media representatives will have the opportunity to interview the speakers in person or by telephone. Further information: Global Hunger Index Event 2026 Bern | Helvetas.
