Pakistan among world’s most food-insecure nations amid climate and economic pressures
Islamabad: Pakistan continues to rank among the world’s most vulnerable countries facing acute food insecurity, according to a United Nations-supported report released on Friday. The findings highlight how worsening climate conditions and ongoing economic challenges are placing increasing strain on millions of people across the country.
The report, titled Global Report on Food Crises 2026, identifies Pakistan as one of the ten countries where hunger is most severe and widespread. The other countries on this list include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Nigeria, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.
Scale of the Crisis in Pakistan
The report reveals that in 2025, approximately 11 million people in Pakistan were affected by acute food insecurity. Out of these:
Around 9.3 million people were classified under “crisis” conditions
About 1.7 million people were in “emergency” conditions
These classifications are part of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), an internationally recognised system used to measure the severity of food insecurity. According to this framework, both “crisis” and “emergency” levels indicate serious conditions where urgent action is required to protect lives and livelihoods.
Acute food insecurity occurs when people’s access to sufficient food becomes so limited that it threatens their survival, making immediate intervention necessary.
Climate Change Worsening the Situation
The report emphasizes that extreme weather events remain a major driver of hunger in Pakistan. In particular, heavy monsoon rains and flash floods during 2025 caused significant damage.
More than 6 million people were affected by flooding, which destroyed crops, damaged infrastructure, and disrupted livelihoods. These climate shocks have made it increasingly difficult for vulnerable communities to recover, pushing many deeper into food insecurity.
Regional Concerns and Nutrition Issues
Certain regions within Pakistan are especially at risk. The provinces of:
Balochistan
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Sindh
have been identified as areas of concern for malnutrition and food access.
However, the report notes a lack of up-to-date data, which prevents a precise classification of nutrition severity in these regions. Despite this, Pakistan is still considered highly vulnerable due to factors such as poor diet, limited healthcare access, unsafe water, sanitation issues, and disease.
Economic Pressures and Refugee Burden
Economic challenges are further complicating the crisis. Inflation in Pakistan is projected to rise to around 6%, which could increase food prices and reduce purchasing power for households.
Additionally, Pakistan continues to host a large number of refugees, particularly from Afghanistan. This adds extra pressure on resources, especially in regions already struggling with food shortages.
Some Improvement, But Fragile
Despite the seriousness of the situation, there were modest improvements in 2025:
Around 400,000 fewer people were in the “crisis” category
Over 500,000 fewer people were in the “emergency” category
However, these improvements remain fragile and could easily reverse due to worsening climate conditions and economic instability.
Expanded Data Coverage
The report also explains that part of the apparent rise in food insecurity is due to better data coverage. The analysis expanded from 43 districts in 2024 to 68 districts in 2025, covering more areas in vulnerable provinces.
As a result:
The population included in the study increased from 16% to 21%
Over 14 million additional people were included in the dataset
This means the increase in reported food insecurity partly reflects improved measurement rather than only worsening conditions.
Global Hunger Situation
The report paints a troubling global picture. In 2025:
266 million people across 47 countries faced acute food insecurity
This figure is nearly double the level recorded in 2016
Conflict remains the leading cause of hunger worldwide, followed by climate disasters such as droughts and floods, along with declining humanitarian aid.
For the first time in the report’s history, famine was officially confirmed in two places during the same year:
Gaza Strip
Parts of Sudan
In addition, 1.4 million people faced catastrophic hunger conditions in countries including Haiti, Mali, South Sudan, Yemen, and Sudan.
Children have been among the hardest hit:
35.5 million children were acutely malnourished in 2025
Nearly 10 million suffered from severe acute malnutrition
Outlook for 2026
The outlook for 2026 remains bleak. While slight improvements are expected in some countries, such as Bangladesh and Syria, conditions are likely to worsen in others, including Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Zimbabwe.
According to Alvaro Lario, head of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, food insecurity is no longer a temporary issue.
He warned that the world is now facing persistent and overlapping crises, where conflict, economic instability, and climate change continuously reinforce each other.
Lario also noted that geopolitical tensions, including the US-Israeli conflict involving Iran, could trigger further food price increases globally. Even if such conflicts end quickly, their economic effects—especially rising food prices—may continue for months.
The report makes it clear that Pakistan’s food insecurity crisis is part of a much larger global challenge. While there have been slight improvements, the combination of climate shocks, economic strain, and regional instability continues to threaten food access for millions. Without sustained intervention and long-term solutions, both Pakistan and many other countries risk facing even deeper crises in the years ahead.