Pakistan’s worsening hunger situation has received another unwelcome spotlight in the latest Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2026. The country has a score of 25.5 and ranks 106th among 122 countries for which sufficient data are available. Its hunger level is classified as serious, placing it among the countries struggling to provide adequate nutrition to substantial sections of their populations. More troublingly, Pakistan’s score has deteriorated from 24.0 in 2018 to 25.5 in 2026, an increase of 6.3 per cent.
The findings are particularly disturbing for a country with extensive agricultural land, a major irrigation network and a substantial production base for wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruit and livestock. Pakistan’s problem is not simply the availability of food. It is also the inability of millions of people to afford a nutritious diet, the unequal distribution of resources, inadequate maternal and child nutrition, and the failure to build an effective system of food security.
The regional comparison reveals the scale of the challenge. Pakistan’s GHI score of 25.5 is substantially above the South Asian average of 23.5 and the global average of 18.1. Its position is worse than that of India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, although Afghanistan faces an even more severe hunger problem. Bangladesh has brought its score below the threshold for serious hunger, while Nepal and Sri Lanka have achieved considerably better outcomes. Pakistan’s score is also worse than its 2018 level, showing that long-term improvements have not been sustained consistently.
The Global Hunger Index, jointly published by Welthungerhilfe, the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict and Helvetas, uses four indicators to assess hunger. It combines food deprivation, child undernutrition and child mortality into a score ranging from zero to 100. Zero represents the best possible outcome and 100 the worst.
The four indicators are:
1. Undernourishment: This measures the proportion of the population whose regular food consumption provides insufficient dietary energy to maintain a healthy, active life. It captures food insecurity across the population, rather than only among children. In Pakistan, 16.1 per cent of the population is undernourished.
2. Child stunting: This measures the proportion of children under five who are too short for their age, indicating chronic undernutrition and repeated exposure to inadequate diets, illness or poor living conditions. Pakistan’s rate is 33.6 per cent, a deeply concerning indicator of long-term nutritional deprivation.
3. Child wasting: This measures the proportion of children under five whose weight is too low for their height. It reflects acute undernutrition, often associated with insufficient food intake or disease. Pakistan’s wasting rate is 9.8 per cent.
4. Under-five mortality: This measures the proportion of children who die before their fifth birthday. Although deaths have multiple causes, inadequate nutrition, unsafe water, infections and insufficient healthcare can substantially increase the risk. Pakistan’s under-five mortality rate, as represented in the index, is 5.6 per cent.
The latest index also illustrates that hunger remains a global crisis. Somalia has a score of 47.0, the Democratic Republic of the Congo 39.5, Chad 38.0 and Madagascar 36.5, placing these countries in the alarming category. Several other countries, including Nigeria, Haiti and Niger, also face alarming levels of hunger. These figures underline the severity of the worldwide problem, but Pakistan’s own performance is particularly troubling given its vast agricultural resources.
The question is: Why is hunger persisting in Pakistan? The first major cause is poverty and declining purchasing power. Inflation in food prices, electricity bills, transport and housing leaves low-income households with less money for nutritious meals. Families may continue buying flour and other basic staples while reducing their consumption of milk, eggs, meat, fruit and vegetables. Calories alone cannot provide the balanced nutrition necessary for healthy childhood development.
Second, Pakistan’s agricultural system suffers from structural weaknesses. Small farmers face expensive inputs, limited access to credit, unreliable water supplies and inadequate storage facilities. Post-harvest losses, inefficient supply chains and the influence of middlemen increase the cost of food between farms and consumers. Periodic floods, droughts and extreme heat further undermine agricultural productivity.
Third, malnutrition is closely linked to poor sanitation, unsafe drinking water and inadequate healthcare. Children repeatedly suffering from diarrhoea and other infections cannot absorb nutrients properly, even when some food is available. Finally, fragmented government policies have failed to integrate agriculture, public health, education, water management and poverty reduction into a comprehensive food-security strategy. Subsidies and relief programmes can help, but temporary assistance cannot replace sustained investment in nutrition and rural development.
What must Pakistan do? First, protect the purchasing power of vulnerable households. Targeted cash transfers and nutrition assistance should reach the poorest families, particularly pregnant women, nursing mothers and households with young children. Existing social-protection programmes should prioritise access to nutritious food rather than merely providing temporary financial relief.
Second, invest in maternal and child nutrition. Pakistan needs effective programmes for prenatal nutrition, breastfeeding, micronutrient supplementation, growth monitoring and the early treatment of wasting. Schools should offer nutritious meals in disadvantaged districts, while health workers should identify malnourished children before their condition becomes critical.
Third, reform agriculture and food distribution. Investment in water-efficient irrigation, climate-resilient seeds, agricultural research, cold storage, rural roads and modern warehouses can improve productivity and reduce wastage. Small farmers need affordable credit and better market access. Fourth, make nutritious food affordable. Government policy should encourage the production and consumption of pulses, vegetables, fruit, eggs and dairy products. Fortification of commonly consumed foods can address deficiencies in essential micronutrients.
Fifth, address the underlying demographic and economic pressures. Voluntary family-planning services, girls’ education, women’s economic participation and better employment opportunities can improve household welfare and nutritional outcomes. Hunger reduction should be made a measurable national priority, with regular district-level data, clear targets and public reporting on government performance.
Finally, federal and provincial authorities must coordinate their programmes. Pakistan should establish an accountable national food-security framework that tracks not only food production and prices but also dietary quality, childhood growth and household access to nutritious meals. Pakistan’s performance in the Global Hunger Index is a warning that agricultural capacity does not automatically translate into human well-being. Unless Pakistan confronts poverty, child malnutrition, agricultural inefficiency and policy failure together, hunger will continue to damage the health and potential of coming generations.