Pakistan facing acute food shortage, 11 million people at hunger risk: FAO

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization’s most recent study, Pakistan had high levels of food insecurity from November 2024 to March 2025, with 11 million people expected to face insecurity, Dawn reported on Sunday.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) 2025 Global Report on Food Crises, which was released by the UN on Friday, 11 million people, or 22% of the analysed population, are expected to face acute food insecurity in 68 rural districts affected by flooding in Balochistan, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

This includes 1.7 million people in emergency. The population coverage increased by 38 per cent between the 2024 peak and 2025 current analysis, from 36.7 million people to 50.8 million people, with 25 additional districts, making the 2024 peak and the projection for 2025 not comparable, Dawn cited the report.

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It further added that extreme weather conditions would affect livelihoods of people despite there being a recovery in the situation with respect to last year.

The peak for 2024 in Pakistan remained the same as in 2023, with 11.8 million people facing high levels of acute food insecurity between November 2023 and January 2024, the report mentioned.

Citing the report, it further noted that Pakistan experienced persistently high levels of acute malnutrition between 2018 and early 2024 in analysed areas of Balochistan and Sindh, with global acute malnutrition (GAM) prevalence consistently above 10 per cent and reaching more than 30 per cent in certain districts. Insufficient funds also limited nutrition service coverage.

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In 2025, climate shocks and acute food insecurity risk further aggravated already high acute malnutrition levels.

According to the FAO report, 11.8 million people or 32 per cent of the analysed population were projected to face high levels of acute food insecurity in 43 rural districts of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh during the winter lean season. Of them, 2.2 million were in emergency under the Integrated Food Insecurity Phase Classification (IPC) during November 2023 to January 2024.

The report further said acute malnutrition burden during March 2023 and January 2024 affected 2.1 million children aged 6 to 59 months. Children’s diets were of insufficient quality and quantity, aggravated by acute food insecurity which worsened during the winter months when food prices are higher, livelihood opportunities are restricted and access to markets is reduced.

It was also reported that there was a high prevalence of acute malnutrition among pregnant and breastfeeding women, which was accompanied by a high proportion of children being born with a low birth weight, particularly in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Levels of diarrhoea, acute respiratory infections and malaria were high, worsening during the winter months. The inadequate coverage of sanitation facilities and safe drinking water was a significant concern, partly following the heavy monsoon floods in 2022, Dawn reported.

Across Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, poor healthcare-seeking behaviours and blocked roads limited access to healthcare. Insufficient funds also limited nutrition service coverage. In 2025, climate shocks and acute food insecurity risk further aggravated already high acute malnutrition, the report noted.