The global hunger situation has been deteriorating again for several years, after almost two decades of improvement. The new Global Hunger Index 2026, published annually since 2006, illustrates this trend. Helvetas, the Swiss organisation for development cooperation and humanitarian aid, is a new co-publisher, alongside Welthungerhilfe (German NGO) and the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict at the University of Bochum.
Conflicts, the climate crisis, and economic uncertainty have led to a global hunger level higher than in 2018. Helvetas warns about viewing food security solely as a humanitarian issue: 'There is no security without food security,' says CEO Melchior Lengsfeld. Globally, 44 countries exhibit a serious or very serious hunger level.
Conflicts remain a central driver of hunger.
Conflicts continue to be one of the major causes of hunger, while hunger can worsen instability and social tensions in return. 'Food security is a prerequisite for peace and stability. Those discussing security should not only think of arms and defense. People who have insufficient food lose perspective and fall more quickly into crises, and can adapt less well to shocks,' says Melchior Lengsfeld.
The new report highlights that the number of state-armed conflicts today is as high as it hasn't been since WWII. Simultaneously, funding for measures against hunger and malnutrition in crisis regions has fallen to its lowest point in ten years.
Helvetas is committed to fighting hunger.
The situation is particularly concerning in several countries where Helvetas operates: In Madagascar, the hunger level is 'very serious.' Haiti and Niger are also significantly affected. In Mozambique, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Tanzania, and Laos, the report classifies the situation as 'serious.' Helvetas is committed to combating hunger; in Haiti, for example, the Swiss organization supports 9,000 households together with the World Food Programme. Cash assistance enables families to buy food and other essentials, helping them better manage crises.
The new Global Hunger Index also shows that progress is possible: Nepal, a country where Helvetas has been active for decades, is among those with particularly substantial improvements over the past decades.
Concrete demands.
Helvetas CEO Melchior Lengsfeld warns: 'It is unacceptable that people still have to go hungry today. Malnutrition and hunger particularly affect children. They often suffer lifelong consequences and cannot escape the poverty spiral.'
The Global Hunger Index calls on governments and international donors to more firmly anchor food security in peace, security, and resilience strategies. 'Investments are needed in resilient food systems, early warning systems, and climate-resilient agriculture.'
The Global Hunger Index is an annual publication reviewed by external experts, capturing the hunger situation on a global, regional, and national level. It measures the hunger situation using four indicators: undernutrition, child stunting, child wasting, and child mortality.
Interview opportunity with Frank Eyhorn, Nutrition Expert, frank.eyhorn@helvetas.org, 076 483 60 70.
Further information: GHI-Report 2026 for download, Summary of the GHI-Report 2026 for download, GHI event in Bern (hybrid) in English: Global Hunger Index Event 2026 Bern
Helvetas.
Helvetas invites to a public event in Bern on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, discussing the Global Hunger Index and the interconnections between hunger, conflicts, climate, and global security. Experts from politics, development cooperation, and science will discuss causes and solution approaches. Participants include Prof. Dr. Chinwe Ifejika Speranza, a member of the Helvetas board and an expert on sustainable development and food systems, as well as Meron Wubishet, an expert on food security and resilience from Ethiopia. Media can conduct interviews with speakers on-site or by phone. More information: Global Hunger Index Event 2026 Bern