Launch of the 2025 Global Report on Food Crises Statement

Dear Colleagues,

Today, as we launch the 2025 Global Report on Food Crises, one thing is clear: acute food insecurity is not just a crisis – it is a constant reality for millions of people, especially in rural areas and vulnerable communities.

Despite our collective efforts, the number of people at risk remains unacceptably high. Conflicts, weather extremes, and economic shocks continue to drive hunger, pushing millions into Crisis, Emergency, and Catastrophic levels of food insecurity, especially IPC 4 and 5.

Funding shortfalls and shifting global priorities are further narrowing the space to invest in building resilience, especially of vulnerable communities, and for the transformation of global agrifood systems to be more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable. 

This threatens our ability to reach those most in need, our ability to reduce long-term dependency on aid, and our ability to mitigate systemic risks.

Today, we have an opportunity to rethink how we respond to food crises, and to focus on maximizing impact.

The 2025 Global Report on Food Crises informs us of the countries facing the most severe food crises, the drivers behind them, and the number of people affected. It tells us in no uncertain terms that emergency response and development can no longer be separate tracks.

These interventions must be complementary and sequenced, and they must be delivered at scale.

Our actions have to meet immediate needs, but must also lay the foundation for lasting solutions.

There is a path forward: we know that most people facing food crises live in rural areas, and for them agriculture is not just a livelihood – it is a lifeline. 

They want to be able to stand on their own feet, to grow their own food, and to secure their own futures. We must listen, and act on their priorities. This is the path we have to follow. It is not just about sitting in an office developing action plans without taking into consideration the real priorities on the ground.

And this is why investment in emergency agriculture is so critical.

It is not just a response; it is a solution that is uniquely cost-effective and can deliver significant impact. Every USD 1 invested in emergency agriculture support can generate USD 7 in benefits, providing food, income and stability to farmers and their communities.

FAO’s Afghanistan programme is showing the positive impact that emergency agriculture assistance can have when at-scale funding is provided, complementing humanitarian food assistance.

And last month I was in the border region between Afghanistan and Tajikistan to see firsthand the locust situation, and the need to take action on the ground - small acts to lead big change.

Dear Colleagues,

We will not be able to make an impactful difference on our own. In a world of growing needs and limited resources, partnerships are not just valuable, they are vital.

The Global Network Against Food Crises has produced a report over the past nine years and is our shared platform to turn words into action. To walk the talk! Working together as real partners!

It brings together data, expertise, resources, and a common commitment to ensure that no one faces hunger alone.

It also recognizes the complementary role of broader efforts, such as the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, which was endorsed in 2024 by 82 leaders at the G20 under the Brazilian Presidency, as we work together to tackle the root causes of food crises.

This is not just about doing more with less, it is about doing more and better, together.

Dear Colleagues,

To conclude: the 2025 food crisis landscape demands urgent, coordinated action to break the vicious cycle of hunger.

While challenges are significant, opportunities exist to harness technology, data, and global solidarity to build more resilient agrifood systems.

The window for preventing worst-case scenarios is narrowing, underscoring the need for proactive measures today

Let us build a foods-secure future for all, with better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life - leaving no one behind.

Thank you.