War spending deepens global hunger as 673 million face food shortages

Global hunger remains a pressing crisis, with 673 million people still going without enough food. Meanwhile, the cost of war continues to divert resources that could instead be used to fight malnutrition and food insecurity. Experts warn that rising oil prices and ongoing conflicts are worsening the situation for the world's poorest.

The financial toll of conflict is staggering. In just the first six days of a hypothetical US war against Iran, spending reached $12.7 billion. That same amount could have provided a healthy daily food basket for around 70% of the world's undernourished population.

The war's impact extends beyond direct destruction. It disrupts energy supplies, fertiliser markets, and global food systems. Production slows, logistics falter, and input costs rise—all of which push food prices higher. Those already struggling find survival even harder. José Graziano da Silva, a leading food security advocate, has called this a moral failure. He argues that funding war instead of hunger relief is a choice with devastating consequences. The poorest, particularly in import-dependent regions of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, face the greatest risk. Rising oil prices further strain their ability to afford food, deepening inequality between those who can eat and those who cannot.

The conflict's ripple effects are clear. Food systems destabilise, survival costs climb, and the most vulnerable are pushed further into insecurity. Without a shift in priorities, millions will continue to suffer while resources burn in war.