The 2012 Global Hunger Index (GHI) report--the seventh in an annual series--presents a multidimensional measure of global, regional, and national hunger. It shows that progress in reducing the proportion of hungry people in the world has been tragically slow. According to the index, hunger on a global scale remains "serious." The 2012 GHI report also focuses particularly on how to ensure sustainable food security under conditions of land, water, and energy stress. The stark reality is that the world needs to produce more food with fewer resources, while eliminating wasteful practices and policies.

The Russian Federation experienced a fall in GDP per capita of nearly 50 per cent during the 1990s, and following the sudden fall in value of the rouble in 1998, international concerns grew over to the rising level of food insecurity and poverty in the country. This report has been produced as part of a FAO technical assistance project, and examines the state of food security in the Russian Federation and the prospects for addressing these challenges in the future. Issues discussed include: the changes in agricultural production during the 1990s, the main indicators of food availability and access to food by the population, public nutrition and diet, and the outlook for improvements in the future.

With one more year before the 2015 deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goals, the 2014 Global Hunger Index report offers a multifaceted overview of global hunger that brings new insights to the global debate on where to focus efforts in the fight against hunger and malnutrition. The state of hunger in developing countries as a group has improved since 1990, falling by 39 percent, according to the 2014 GHI. Despite progress made, the level of hunger in the world is still “serious,” with 805 million people continuing to go hungry, according to estimates by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The global average obscures dramatic differences across regions and countries. Regionally, the highest GHI scores—and therefore the highest hunger levels—are in Africa south of the Sahara and South Asia, which have also experienced the greatest absolute improvements since 2005. South Asia saw the steepest absolute decline in GHI scores since 1990. Progress in addressing child underweight was the main factor behind the improved GHI score for the region since 1990.

Hunger and malnutrition are the plight of millions of people, especially in developing countries. This study argues that the lack of a comprehensive measure for nutrition and food security has impeded progress towards eradicating hunger and undernutrition. The author seeks to fill this gap by designing an international Nutrition Index (NI). Using this NI, the study ranks 106 countries and analyses patterns and trends in their nutrition situation. The correlations between the NI and other international indicators show its ability to reflect micronutrient deficiencies as well as its sensitivity to poverty and inequality. Multivariate regressions reveal that the NI tends to improve with economic development and the amelioration of health services, whereas warfare has detrimental effects.