What are the causes of global food insecurity and malnutrition?

October 26, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the UN, in 2023, nearly 2.33 billion people faced moderate or severe food insecurity, a crisis fueled by a complex interplay of factors. Understanding these systemic issues is the first step towards creating effective solutions for global food insecurity and malnutrition. This article explores the root causes and contributing factors behind this pervasive problem.

Quick Summary

This article examines the primary drivers of global food insecurity and malnutrition, including climate change, conflict, economic instability, and poverty. It details how these interconnected factors disrupt food systems, reduce access to nutritious food, and disproportionately affect vulnerable populations worldwide, particularly in developing regions.

Key Points

Conflict: War and instability are leading drivers, destroying food production, displacing populations, and disrupting markets.
Climate Change: Extreme weather events, long-term climatic shifts, and environmental degradation significantly reduce agricultural yields and increase food prices.
Poverty: Low and unstable income levels limit access to nutritious food, trapping individuals in a cycle of undernourishment and low productivity.
Economic Shocks: Global economic downturns, high inflation, and supply chain disruptions can rapidly increase the number of people experiencing food insecurity.
Weak Food Systems: Inefficient distribution, insufficient agricultural investment, and poor policy contribute to high food waste and inequitable access.
Malnutrition: Poor dietary diversity, infectious diseases, and inadequate care practices are underlying causes of malnutrition, even when some food is available.
Inequality: Systemic inequalities based on geography, gender, and socio-economic status determine who is most affected by food insecurity.
Health and Sanitation: Lack of access to clean water and health services can lead to diseases that cause malnutrition by affecting nutrient absorption.

A complex web of interconnected factors

Global food insecurity and malnutrition are not isolated problems, but rather the result of a complex interplay of socio-economic, environmental, and political factors. It is a systemic issue, and addressing it requires understanding the multiple, often compounding, challenges that undermine a population's ability to access a reliable supply of safe and nutritious food.

Climate change and environmental degradation

Climate change is a major and increasingly significant driver of global food insecurity. Its effects are felt most acutely in the world's most vulnerable regions, where communities rely heavily on rain-fed agriculture. Extreme weather events, such as prolonged droughts, severe floods, and intense storms, directly destroy crops, damage agricultural infrastructure, and disrupt supply chains. These events can lead to sudden crop failures and loss of livestock, destabilizing livelihoods and food supply. Moreover, long-term shifts in weather patterns, including rising temperatures and changing rainfall, alter growing seasons and reduce overall agricultural productivity. This is especially true for heat-sensitive crops like wheat and maize. Environmental degradation, such as soil erosion and water scarcity exacerbated by climate change, further diminishes the resource base for food production.

Conflict, displacement, and instability

Conflict is arguably the single most powerful driver of acute hunger and malnutrition globally. Prolonged conflicts destroy crops, livestock, and markets, while displacing millions of people from their homes and farms. When families are forced to flee, they lose their income, assets, and ability to grow or purchase food. Conflict also disrupts aid delivery, as warring parties may obstruct humanitarian access or use hunger as a weapon of war. The war in Ukraine, for example, had a cascading effect on global food prices and supplies, impacting countries far from the battlefield. In conflict zones, malnutrition rates soar, particularly among women and children who are most vulnerable.

Poverty and economic shocks

Poverty is deeply intertwined with food insecurity. For millions, a lack of sufficient income is the primary barrier to accessing nutritious food. This is true for individuals in both developed and developing nations. Economic shocks, such as the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic or global financial crises, can trigger or worsen food insecurity by increasing unemployment and eroding purchasing power. High living costs and food price inflation, exacerbated by global supply chain issues, make it increasingly difficult for low-income households to afford essentials. In many countries, the poor face a vicious cycle where undernourishment leads to lower productivity and higher healthcare costs, further entrenching poverty.

Weak food systems and agricultural issues

Even with sufficient food available globally, weaknesses in food systems often prevent it from reaching those who need it most. Issues include:

Inefficient supply chains: Poor infrastructure and transportation can cause significant food waste before products reach the consumer.
Lack of investment: Insufficient investment in sustainable agriculture, particularly in rural areas, limits food production and resilience to shocks.
Inadequate policy: Ineffective public policies, such as those related to land use, trade, and social safety nets, can exacerbate food shortages and inequality.
Agricultural practices: Reliance on intensive, mono-crop farming can lead to land degradation and decreased biodiversity, threatening long-term food security.

The challenge of malnutrition

Malnutrition is not simply a lack of food, but a deficiency or imbalance of essential nutrients. Causes of malnutrition include:

Poor diet diversity: Over-reliance on a few staple crops can lead to micronutrient deficiencies, or “hidden hunger,” which has severe health consequences.
Infectious diseases: Conditions like diarrhea or intestinal worms prevent the body from absorbing nutrients, even when a person is eating enough.
Inadequate care: Poor knowledge of nutritional needs, especially for infants and young children, is a key driver of malnutrition.
Health issues: Medical conditions that interfere with eating or nutrient absorption can contribute to malnutrition.

Comparison of key factors


Factor	Impact on Food Insecurity	Impact on Malnutrition
Conflict	Direct destruction of crops and infrastructure, market disruption, displacement.	Prevents access to varied food and healthcare, increases disease risk, affects women and children most.
Climate Change	Reduces agricultural yields, increases food prices, causes extreme weather events.	Affects dietary diversity, worsens health conditions, increases nutritional needs due to disease patterns.
Poverty/Economy	Limits purchasing power, increases vulnerability to price shocks, creates systemic barriers.	Drives poor diet quality, reduces access to healthcare and clean water, creates intergenerational cycles.
Weak Food Systems	Leads to high food waste, inefficient distribution, and market volatility.	Can result in reduced availability of diverse foods, especially fresh produce, in vulnerable areas.

A call to action for a more sustainable future

The crises driving food insecurity and malnutrition are complex, but solutions exist. Addressing these root causes requires a multi-pronged approach that tackles climate change, promotes peace and stability, and builds resilient economic systems that reduce poverty and inequality. Investing in climate-resilient agriculture, strengthening social protection programs, and improving food systems infrastructure are all critical steps. As the UN continues its efforts towards Sustainable Development Goal 2, a fundamental shift in trajectory is needed to ensure zero hunger and better nutrition for all by 2030. Learn more about the global effort to end hunger and malnutrition by visiting the World Food Programme's website at https://www.wfp.org.

Conclusion

Understanding what drives global food insecurity and malnutrition is essential to formulating effective, sustainable solutions. The interconnected threats of climate change, armed conflict, poverty, and weak food systems create a cycle of vulnerability and hunger that affects billions. A holistic approach focusing on resilience, equity, and targeted interventions is required to break this cycle. By addressing the root causes and investing in long-term solutions, it is possible to build a more food-secure world for future generations.

Frequently Asked Questions

There is no single primary cause, but experts point to a combination of factors including conflict, climate change, and poverty as the most significant drivers of global food insecurity.

Climate change causes food insecurity by triggering extreme weather events like droughts and floods, which destroy crops and disrupt agricultural production. It also alters long-term weather patterns, affecting growing seasons and crop yields.

While poverty is a major contributing factor that limits economic access to food, it works alongside other issues like conflict, climate change, and weak infrastructure. Poor households are most vulnerable to food price increases and economic shocks.

Conflict contributes to malnutrition by destroying food supplies, blocking humanitarian aid, and displacing populations, which all prevent access to nutritious food. It also disrupts healthcare services and spreads diseases that worsen nutritional status.

Food insecurity is the lack of consistent access to enough affordable, healthy food for an active, healthy life. Malnutrition is a condition resulting from a deficiency, excess, or imbalance of essential nutrients, and can be caused by food insecurity or other factors like disease.

Yes, food waste is a contributing factor, as inefficiency in the food system means a portion of food produced is lost or wasted before it reaches consumers. Addressing this can improve overall food availability and access.

Economic shocks are sudden, negative events like financial crises or supply chain disruptions. They affect food security by causing high inflation, reducing household income, and increasing the cost of food, making it unaffordable for many.

Inefficiencies in food systems, such as poor infrastructure and distribution, lead to less availability of diverse, nutritious foods in certain areas. This forces people to rely on less healthy, calorie-dense but nutrient-poor diets, increasing the risk of malnutrition.

Women and children are often disproportionately affected by food insecurity due to systemic inequalities, such as gender-based discrimination in access to resources like land and education. Children have higher nutritional needs and are especially vulnerable to the long-term effects of malnutrition.

'Hidden hunger' is a form of malnutrition where a person's diet lacks essential micronutrients like vitamins and minerals, even if they consume enough calories. It can lead to severe health problems and physical or mental impairment.

Yes, global hunger and food insecurity have been on the rise since 2016, with sharp increases recorded in recent years due to multiple, interconnected crises.

Solutions include investments in climate-resilient agriculture, strengthening social protection systems, improving food system infrastructure, and promoting peacebuilding efforts in conflict zones.