A comprehensive new report from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) highlights mixed global progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Covering 22 indicators across six SDGs - including Zero Hunger, Gender Equality, and Life on Land - the data shows that while about 25% of goals are close to being met, another quarter remains far or very far behind, and the remaining 50% are only moderately within reach.

According to José Rosero Moncayo, FAO Chief Statistician, "We must redouble our efforts to achieve food security, improved nutrition, and sustainable agriculture, while protecting natural resources." The report offers a data-rich foundation for identifying where to intensify global support and investment.

The findings are sobering. In 2024, 2.3 billion people - or 28% of the global population - were food insecure, a sharp rise from 21.4% in 2015. Around 8.2% of the world's population faced outright hunger, marking a clear deterioration since the SDG baseline year.

Dietary diversity for women remains a challenge. Between 2019 and 2023, only 65% of women of reproductive age met the minimum dietary diversity, with particularly poor performance in sub-Saharan Africa and South and Central Asia. These trends signal not only moderate distance to the target, but also worsening conditions since 2015.

The frequency of food price anomalies remains high - three times the 2015-2019 average - driven by ongoing geopolitical tensions and climate shocks. This metric is classified as very far from its SDG target, with a consistent negative trend.

The report underscores major disparities in agricultural income and land rights. In low- and middle-income countries, small-scale food producers earn less than half of what non-small-scale farmers make, with incomes often below $1,500 annually (2017 PPP). Women, in particular, face systemic barriers: in nearly 80% of countries surveyed, fewer than half of women have secure land rights, while men are twice as likely to own land.

Some areas offer cautious optimism. Water-use efficiency improved by 23% between 2015 and 2022, mainly due to economic growth. There's also been progress in conserving animal genetic resources, though only 4.6% of local breeds and 17.2% of transboundary breeds are adequately safeguarded for reconstitution in case of extinction.

Still, natural resource indicators remain a concern. Global forest area dropped from 31.9% in 2000 to 31.2% in 2020, with most losses driven by agricultural expansion for crops and livestock. In fisheries, despite broader adoption of regulatory instruments, the share of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels has declined steadily - from 90% in 1974 to just 62.5% in 2021.

Global water stress has stabilized at 18%, but regional hotspots - especially in Western Asia and Northern Africa - face worsening scarcity, threatening long-term sustainability and food production.

The report benefits from the most comprehensive data set to date: data availability reached 65% in 2025, up from 62% in 2023 and just 32% in 2017. This expanded coverage improves the accuracy and utility of global assessments.

The FAO's conclusions are clear. While certain targets are within reach, key areas like hunger, nutrition, gender equity, and natural resource management are lagging dangerously behind. With less than five years left until 2030, the report urges accelerated, coordinated action from governments, development agencies, and private stakeholders to realign efforts and close the gaps before time runs out.