A Tale of Two Trends
The 2026 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report, a joint effort by five UN agencies, highlights significant progress. Globally, the number of people facing hunger dropped to 645 million in 2025. India has been a major driver of this
positive trend, substantially reducing the proportion of its undernourished population from 21.1% in 2004-06 to just 9.8% in 2023-25. That translates to over 100 million fewer people going hungry over two decades. However, the report reveals a troubling counter-narrative: the crisis is shifting from not having enough food to not having the right kind of food. The core issue now is the affordability of a truly healthy diet.
The High Cost of Eating Healthy in India
The UN report lays bare a stark reality: more than one in three Indians, approximately 520 million people, could not afford a healthy diet in 2025. This is despite India having one of the lowest costs for a healthy diet in South Asia, estimated at about $4.11 per person per day. While that number may seem abstract, it represents a nearly 48% increase since 2017, a rate of inflation for healthy food that outpaces that of many developed nations. This affordability gap means that even when families have enough money for basic cereals to stave off hunger, they cannot afford the nutrient-dense foods—like fruits, vegetables, dairy, and proteins—that are essential for good health.
What 'Unaffordable' Really Means
Being unable to afford a healthy diet isn't just about missing out on tasty meals. It has devastating, long-term consequences, creating a double burden of malnutrition. On one side, India still battles chronic undernutrition. Child stunting, although declining, affected nearly a third of children under five, and child wasting remains among the highest in the world. Anaemia in women and children is also a persistent challenge. On the other side, diets heavy in cheap, calorie-dense, and ultra-processed foods are contributing to a rise in adult obesity and related non-communicable diseases like diabetes and heart conditions. This means the country is simultaneously fighting the effects of too little nutrition and the wrong kind of nutrition.
From Food Security to Nutrition Security
For decades, India's public policy has rightly focused on food security—ensuring people have enough calories. Landmark initiatives like the National Food Security Act have been crucial in preventing widespread hunger by guaranteeing subsidised grains. However, the UN report's findings are a clear signal that the focus must now evolve. The challenge is no longer just about filling stomachs; it's about nourishing bodies and minds. This requires a shift towards 'nutrition security', which prioritises access to a diverse and balanced range of foods. Simply having enough rice or wheat is not enough to build a healthy, productive nation.
The Path Forward
The report suggests that the high cost of healthy food is often driven by issues beyond the farm gate, including inefficient supply chains, poor infrastructure like cold storage, and high transport costs. Addressing these structural problems is key to making fruits, vegetables, and proteins more affordable. Experts suggest several paths forward: promoting the production and consumption of diverse crops like millets and pulses, improving maternal and child nutrition programmes, and integrating nutrition education into public health policies. Repurposing agricultural subsidies to support more nutritious food groups instead of just staples could also be a powerful lever for change.
