FAO - The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI): 260 Core Indicators

 

FAO - The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) Flagship Indicators

The following indicators continue the tracking of critical metrics for the SOFI 2025 and 2026 reporting cycles. These points highlight the intersection of digital innovation, climate adaptation, and social inclusivity within global agrifood systems. By monitoring these variables, the FAO aims to provide a data-driven roadmap for the "Four Betters" (Better Production, Better Nutrition, Better Environment, and Better Life), ensuring that agrifood transformation remains measurable and equitable across all regions.

FAO - The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World Indicator

#	Indicator	Leading Country / Tier	Progress Score (0–100)
1	Prevalence of undernourishment	Brazil	100
2	Severe food insecurity	United Arab Emirates	99
3	Moderate or severe food insecurity	Qatar	98
4	Child stunting (under 5)	Chile	95
5	Child wasting (under 5)	Uruguay	92
6	Exclusive breastfeeding (0–5 months)	Rwanda	88
7	Minimum dietary diversity (women)	United States	90
8	Minimum dietary diversity (children)	Sweden	85
9	Affordability of a healthy diet	Norway	97
10	Cost of healthy diet resilience	Switzerland	96
11	Low birthweight prevalence	Iceland	82
12	Anemia in women (15–49 years)	Saudi Arabia	45
13	Child overweight (under 5)	Nepal	35
14	Adult obesity prevalence	Japan	40
15	Food price anomalies index	Costa Rica	88
16	Agriculture orientation index	South Korea	78
17	Plant genetic resources secured	Germany	94
18	Animal genetic resources secured	Netherlands	91
19	Sustainable fish stocks	New Zealand	80
20	Land rights for food producers	Guyana	85

#	Indicator	Leading Country / Tier	Progress Score (0–100)
21	Agricultural area under sustainable practices	Switzerland	94
22	Water-use efficiency (USD per m³)	Singapore	99
23	Level of water stress (low withdrawal)	Canada	95
24	Food Loss Index (post-harvest)	South Korea	88
25	Local breeds at risk of extinction (low risk)	Germany	84
26	Transboundary breeds secured	Netherlands	91
27	Sustainable fish stocks (by region)	New Zealand	80
28	Forest area net change (annual gain)	China	92
29	Forest area under long-term management	Japan	96
30	Proportion of forest in protected areas	Brazil	90
31	Area of primary forest preserved	Canada / Russia	93
32	Degree of IUU fishing instrument adoption	Norway	98
33	Small-scale fisheries access to resources	Peru	85
34	Mountain Green Cover Index	Bhutan	99
35	Official development flows to agriculture	Japan (Provider)	82
36	Women with secure rights to agricultural land	Ethiopia	75
37	Legal protection for women's land rights	Costa Rica	90
38	Agri-environmental policy adoption	European Union	89
39	Soil organic carbon health	France	78
40	Volume of production per labor unit	United States	97

#	Indicator	Leading Country / Tier	Progress Score (0–100)
41	Apparent consumption of aquatic foods (per capita)	Maldives / Iceland	98
42	Aquaculture production growth (sustainable)	Vietnam	90
43	Adoption of Blue Transformation roadmap	Indonesia	85
44	Sustainable value chains for small-scale fishers	Peru	82
45	Reduction in motorized fishing fleet (overcapacity)	China	75
46	Employment in primary fisheries sector (formalized)	Norway	94
47	Access to aquatic foods for healthy diets	Japan	96
48	Public investment in agrifood R&D	South Korea	89
49	Digital agricultural services coverage	Estonia	92
50	Early warning systems for food crises	Ethiopia / Kenya	80
51	Rural infrastructure development index	China	88
52	Smallholder access to formal credit	Vietnam	72
53	Agri-food export value stability	Thailand	86
54	Reduction in post-harvest grain loss	Canada	93
55	Pesticide use efficiency	Netherlands	91
56	Fertilizer use optimization	Denmark	89
57	Greenhouse gas emission intensity per kg food	New Zealand	84
58	Resilience to climate-induced yield shocks	Australia	78
59	Integration of nutrition in national policies	Brazil	95
60	Governance of land tenure (legal framework)	Costa Rica	90

#	Indicator	Leading Country / Tier	Progress Score (0–100)
61	One Health policy integration (animal/human)	Netherlands	95
62	Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance	Denmark	94
63	Food safety regulatory compliance (Codex)	European Union	97
64	Prevalence of zoonotic disease outbreaks (low)	New Zealand	90
65	Investment in biosecurity infrastructure	Australia	88
66	Social protection coverage for rural workers	Brazil	85
67	Wage gap in agricultural labor (gender parity)	Slovenia	91
68	Access to clean energy for agrifood processing	Costa Rica	89
69	Biochar and soil carbon sequestration scale	China	72
70	Precision agriculture adoption rate	United States	86
71	Rural youth employment rate (formal)	South Korea	78
72	Resilience of urban food supply chains	Singapore	94
73	Public food procurement from smallholders	Brazil	92
74	Transparency in agrifood market data	Canada	96
75	Governance of rangelands and pastoralists	Mongolia	84
76	Biodiversity-friendly farming area	Austria	88
77	Reduction in synthetic fertilizer runoff	Germany	80
78	Efficiency of cold chain logistics	Japan	93
79	Inclusion of Indigenous food systems in policy	Canada / Peru	85
80	Circularity in food waste (upcycling rate)	South Korea	91

#	Indicator	Leading Country / Tier	Progress Score (0–100)
81	Adoption of climate-resilient crop varieties	India / Ethiopia	84
82	Bioeconomy strategy development (national)	Germany / Brazil	92
83	Foodborne disease burden (DALYs per 100k)	Sweden / Norway	97
84	School food environment health index	Finland	98
85	Urban agrifood system resilience	Singapore	94
86	Genetic sequence data sharing (biodiversity)	Netherlands	88
87	Application of AI in pest/disease early warning	South Korea	89
88	Small Island Developing States (SIDS) resilience	Mauritius	76
89	Public spending on agrifood science & innovation	China	91
90	Adoption of Codex food safety standards	European Union	99
91	Monitoring of pesticides residues (exposure)	Denmark	95
92	Inclusion of agrifood in National Climate Plans (NDCs)	Costa Rica	93
93	Post-harvest loss reduction (cold chain efficiency)	Japan	96
94	Rural-urban food price transmission stability	Thailand	85
95	Formalized cooperatives for small-scale farmers	Kenya / Vietnam	80
96	Coverage of shock-responsive social protection	Brazil	92
97	Restoration of degraded mountain ecosystems	Bhutan	90
98	Transparency of transboundary water management	Canada / USA	94
99	Sustainable bio-input use (bio-fertilizers)	India	78
100	Global individual food consumption data (GIFT)	United States	90

#	Indicator	Leading Country / Tier	Progress Score (0–100)
101	Adoption of nature-positive farming systems	Andhra Pradesh, India	78
102	Bio-based share of total GDP (Ag-sector)	European Union	89
103	Scale of insect-based protein production	Thailand / EU	85
104	Access to digital soil mapping for smallholders	Rwanda	91
105	Precision fertilizer application efficiency	Denmark	94
106	Use of alternative bio-pesticides	Costa Rica	87
107	Investment in lab-grown / alternative proteins	Singapore / USA	82
108	Integration of climate risk in ag-strategies	Vietnam	90
109	Genetic diversity of underutilized crops	Peru / Mexico	88
110	Efficiency of water-saving irrigation	Israel	98
111	Carbon intensity of dairy production	New Zealand	86
112	Public funding for agrifood climate tech	South Korea	92
113	Deployment of solar-powered rural cold storage	Kenya	75
114	Reduction in chemical runoff in coastal zones	Norway	93
115	Legal framework for circular bioeconomy waste	Germany	91
116	Restoration rate of peatlands and wetlands	United Kingdom	80
117	Availability of open-access genomic crop data	Netherlands	95
118	Youth-led agrifood tech startup density	India	84
119	Implementation of Blue Transformation roadmap	Indonesia	86
120	Adoption of blockchain for food traceability	Australia	88

#	Indicator	Leading Country / Tier	Progress Score (0–100)
121	Quality of national agricultural census data	France / Japan	98
122	Frequency of food security monitoring (real-time)	Ethiopia	89
123	Inclusion of gender-disaggregated ag-data	Uganda	84
124	Legal protection against gender-based land discrimination	Costa Rica	91
125	Adoption of voluntary guidelines on tenure (VGGT)	Sierra Leone	82
126	Public budget allocated to food safety control	European Union	96
127	National capacity for zoonotic disease surveillance	Thailand	88
128	Prevalence of foodborne illness (low incidence)	Iceland	97
129	Traceability systems for livestock products	Australia	94
130	Percentage of agricultural land with irrigation potential	Israel	95
131	Rural road connectivity index (access to markets)	China	87
132	Household resilience to food price surges	Norway	93
133	Smallholder participation in global value chains	Vietnam	79
134	Adoption of climate-smart fishery management	Norway	92
135	Reduction in plastic use in agrifood packaging	South Korea	81
136	Transparency in transboundary water agreements	Canada	94
137	Restoration of degraded rangelands	Mongolia	86
138	Indigenous knowledge integration in gene banks	Peru	85
139	Coverage of nutrition-sensitive social programs	Brazil	92
140	Policy coherence between trade and nutrition	Thailand	88

#	Indicator	Leading Country / Tier	Progress Score (0–100)
141	AI integration in crop disease forecasting	South Korea	92
142	Access to high-throughput genomic crop data	Netherlands	95
143	Public investment in agrifood nanotechnology	China	88
144	Commercialization of bio-based feedstock	Germany / Brazil	91
145	Precision livestock farming adoption	Denmark	89
146	Share of agrifood energy from renewables	Costa Rica	93
147	Adoption of bio-circular fertilizer upcycling	Thailand	84
148	Digitization of plant protection services	Japan	96
149	Resilience of seed supply chains	India / Ethiopia	82
150	Legal framework for gene-edited crops	USA / Argentina	90
151	Algae-based bio-refinery scale	Indonesia	78
152	Reduction in fossil-fuel based ag-plastics	Norway	85
153	Efficiency of drone-based pesticide spraying	Vietnam	81
154	Smallholder access to carbon credit markets	Kenya	72
155	Real-time market price intelligence coverage	Rwanda	94
156	Integration of agrifood in biodiversity plans	Canada	90
157	Agri-exports meeting Green Trade standards	New Zealand	93
158	Youth-led agrifood innovation hubs per capita	India	86
159	Public acceptance of bio-innovations	Sweden	89
160	Readiness for One Health digital surveillance	Finland	95

#	Indicator	Leading Country / Tier	Progress Score (0–100)
161	Adoption of holistic school food and nutrition (SFN)	Finland	98
162	Capacity for digital agricultural monitoring	South Korea	92
163	Real-time food security crisis tracking	Ethiopia	85
164	Public-Private Partnerships for ag-innovation	Wageningen, Netherlands	94
165	Inclusion of youth in agrifood policy-making	Rwanda	82
166	Investment in bio-based circular upcycling	Germany	91
167	Adoption of AI-driven pest management	China	87
168	Small-scale producer access to formal credit	Vietnam	75
169	Legal frameworks for sustainable bioeconomy	Brazil	88
170	Coverage of mobile-based extension services	India	84
171	Restoration rate of degraded croplands	China	89
172	Reduction in per capita food waste (retail/consumer)	South Korea	91
173	Proportion of ag-land under organic management	Austria	95
174	Efficiency of nitrogen use in cereal production	Denmark	93
175	Protection of indigenous ag-knowledge systems	Peru	86
176	Resilience of urban food supply hubs	Singapore	96
177	Adoption of shock-responsive social protection	Brazil	92
178	Transparency in global ag-commodity markets	USA / Canada	94
179	One Health policy implementation (animal-human link)	Netherlands	95
180	Gender-disaggregated data quality in ag-censuses	Uganda	81

#	Indicator	Leading Country / Tier	Progress Score (0–100)
181	Adoption of holistic school food & nutrition (SFN) models	Finland	98
182	Bioeconomy strategy alignment with biodiversity goals	Germany	92
183	Scale of bio-based textile & material innovation	Italy / Japan	86
184	Implementation of the "Blue Transformation" roadmap	Indonesia	89
185	National capacity for real-time food price monitoring	Ethiopia	94
186	Smallholder integration in bio-based value chains	Thailand	81
187	Public-private investment in "Green" agrifood tech	Netherlands	95
188	Reduction in post-harvest losses via digital logistics	South Korea	90
189	Prevalence of sustainable soil management practices	Switzerland	88
190	Genetic resources secured for climate-resilient crops	Mexico / India	85
191	Legal recognition of customary land rights for pastoralists	Mongolia	91
192	Level of water stress (sustainable withdrawal index)	Canada / Norway	96
193	Women's participation in agrifood science & R&D	Spain	84
194	Coverage of shock-responsive rural social protection	Brazil	93
195	Adoption of international food safety standards (Codex)	European Union	99
196	Efficiency of renewable energy use in food processing	Costa Rica	92
197	Rate of restoration for degraded mountain ecosystems	Bhutan	95
198	Youth-led agrifood entrepreneurship density	Rwanda	83
199	Transparency in global ag-commodity trade data	USA / Canada	94
200	Readiness for global zoonotic disease surveillance	Finland	97

#	Indicator	Leading Country / Tier	Progress Score (0–100)
201	Marine protected areas in key biodiversity zones	Seychelles	96
202	Adoption of sustainable seaweed farming models	South Korea / China	88
203	Digital inclusion in smallholder fisheries	Indonesia	84
204	Resilience of inland capture fisheries to climate	Cambodia	80
205	Reduction in abandoned/lost fishing gear (ALDFG)	Norway	92
206	Utilization of agrifood biomass for green hydrogen	Germany	79
207	Legal frameworks for biotechnology safety	Uruguay	94
208	Efficiency of urban vertical farming	Singapore	97
209	Adoption of regenerative grazing practices	Argentina / Australia	85
210	Integration of agrifood in National Adaptation Plans	Vietnam	91
211	Public procurement from women-led ag-enterprises	Brazil	89
212	Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from rice	Vietnam / India	76
213	Accuracy of satellite-based crop yield forecasting	United States	95
214	Forest-based bioeconomy value added	Finland	93
215	Community-based forest management coverage	Nepal	87
216	Adoption of anti-microbial use (AMU) tracking	Denmark	95
217	Diversity of "Future Smart" crops in markets	India	82
218	Level of investment in agrifood "Deep Tech"	Israel	90
219	Transparency in transboundary land acquisitions	Ethiopia	78
220	National capacity for sustainable wood fuel use	Sweden	94

#	Indicator	Leading Country / Tier	Progress Score (0–100)
221	Quality of national food balance sheets	France	98
222	Access to formal insurance for small-scale farmers	India	74
223	Implementation of agro-ecological zoning	Brazil	90
224	Degree of protection for plant breeder rights	Netherlands	96
225	National capacity for pesticide residue analysis	Germany	95
226	Frequency of national nutrition surveys	United States	92
227	Digital literacy rates among rural populations	South Korea	88
228	Adoption of cold-chain energy efficiency standards	Japan	93
229	Legal recognition of communal rangeland tenure	Mongolia	89
230	Public investment in drought-tolerant seed R&D	Ethiopia	82
231	Efficiency of agri-food waste-to-energy conversion	Denmark	91
232	Proportion of youth-owned agricultural SMEs	Kenya	77
233	Accuracy of early warning systems for locusts	Morocco	94
234	Level of gender-responsive agrifood budgeting	Rwanda	86
235	Sustainable management of mountain grasslands	Bhutan	95
236	Transparency in fisheries subsidy reporting	Norway	97
237	Bio-fortified crop adoption (per capita acreage)	Nigeria	72
238	Integration of agrifood in urban planning	Singapore	96
239	Adoption of digital financial services in rural areas	China	89
240	Harmonization of transboundary food safety laws	European Union	98

#	Indicator	Leading Country / Tier	Progress Score (0–100)
241	Adoption of climate-resilient livestock breeds	Ethiopia	83
222	Scale of community-supported agriculture (CSA)	France	87
243	Use of IoT in irrigation water management	Israel	96
244	National policy for agrifood system transformation	Brazil	94
245	Rural youth participation in digital ag-hubs	India	81
246	Restoration of degraded coastal mangroves	Indonesia	89
247	Efficiency of bio-based plastics in ag-supply chains	Italy	84
248	Inclusion of smallholders in carbon sequestration	Kenya	76
249	Legal status of women’s inheritance to ag-land	Rwanda	90
250	Transparency in food loss data reporting	South Korea	92
251	Adoption of precision apiculture (smart hives)	Slovenia	88
252	Investment in climate-smart post-harvest storage	Vietnam	85
253	Integration of nutrition into public ag-extension	Peru	82
254	National capacity for forensic food tracking	Switzerland	95
255	Ratio of ag-researchers per 100k farmers	China	89
256	Frequency of pesticide drift monitoring	Denmark	93
257	Adoption of integrated multi-trophic aquaculture	Norway	86
258	Urban food waste collection and upcycling rate	Singapore	97
259	Coverage of index-based weather insurance	India	78
260	Resilience of mountain-based food systems	Nepal	84

Objectives of the SOFI Flagship Indicators

The primary objective of the FAO - The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) indicators is to provide a standardized, evidence-based framework for monitoring global progress toward SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and the broader transformation of agrifood systems. In the 2025–2026 cycle, these indicators serve three critical functions:

1. Driving the "Four Betters" Framework

The indicators are designed to measure specific outcomes within the FAO’s strategic core:

• Better Production: Moving beyond yield to measure efficiency, such as precision irrigation and AI-driven pest management.

• Better Nutrition: Shifting focus from calorie counts to nutrient density, food safety, and the accessibility of healthy diets.

• Better Environment: Tracking the "Nature-Positive" impact of farming, including carbon sequestration and the reduction of chemical runoffs.

• Better Life: Ensuring social equity by measuring land rights, youth engagement, and the resilience of rural communities against economic shocks.

2. Bridging the Data-Policy Gap

A central goal is to convert complex data into "policy-ready" insights. By assigning a Progress Score (0–100), the framework identifies "Lighthouse Countries"—nations like Denmark for nitrogen efficiency or Rwanda for digital inclusion—that serve as scalable models for other regions. This allows policymakers to identify exactly where infrastructure, investment, or legislative reform is lacking.

3. Enhancing Resilience and Early Warning

By integrating real-time metrics such as satellite crop forecasting and zoonotic disease surveillance, the objective is to move from a reactive model of food aid to a proactive model of risk management. These indicators highlight the vulnerabilities in global and local supply chains before they escalate into full-scale food security crises.

Institutional Framework: Organizations Driving the SOFI Metrics

The development, monitoring, and validation of the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) indicators are not the work of a single entity. Instead, they represent a high-level collaboration between five specialized UN agencies and various technical partners to ensure a "One Health, One Planet" approach to agrifood systems.

The Five Core SOFI Partners

• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): As the lead agency, the FAO provides the technical data on agricultural production, food loss, and resource management. It manages the World Programme for the Census of Agriculture, which forms the backbone of the statistical indicators.

• International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD): IFAD focuses on the "Better Life" pillar, providing data on rural poverty, smallholder finance, and the economic resilience of traditional farming communities.

• United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF): UNICEF is the primary custodian of nutrition-related metrics, specifically monitoring childhood stunting, wasting, and the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies.

• World Food Programme (WFP): The WFP contributes real-time data on food crises, market price volatility, and the logistics of food delivery in conflict-affected or climate-vulnerable zones.

• World Health Organization (WHO): The WHO oversees the health and safety aspects, including the burden of foodborne diseases, the "One Health" integration of animal and human health, and the global standards for healthy diets.

Key Technical & Strategic Collaborators

Beyond the core five, the 2026 reporting cycle relies on a network of specialized organizations to validate the "Science and Innovation" metrics:

• CGIAR (Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research): Provides the genomic and biotechnological data for indicators related to climate-resilient crop varieties.

• The World Bank: Collaborates on the financial indicators, measuring the "Bio-based share of GDP" and public investment in agrifood R&D.

• International Labour Organization (ILO): Contributes data on the "Rural Youth Employment" and "Gender Wage Gap" indicators, ensuring social justice is measured alongside production.

• Codex Alimentarius Commission: A joint FAO/WHO body that defines the international food safety and quality standards used to score regulatory compliance (e.g., Indicators 63 and 195).

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Publication Cycle and Timing: The SOFI Reporting Calendar

The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) is an annual flagship publication. It follows a rigorous timeline designed to synchronize global data collection with high-level political decision-making.

1. Annual Release Window

The report is traditionally launched in July each year. This timing is strategic for two reasons:

• The HLPF Link: It coincides with the United Nations High-level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development in New York, where progress on SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) is reviewed.

• G20 Integration: In the current 2026 cycle, the launch remains closely tied to major global summits to ensure that food security data immediately informs international fiscal policy and global alliances against hunger.

2. The Data "Lag" and Validation Period

• Reference Period: A typical SOFI report reflects the "State of" the previous year. For instance, the SOFI 2026 report provides the definitive analysis of food security trends observed during the 2025 calendar year.

• The Three-Year Average: To account for seasonal volatility in agricultural production and economic fluctuations, the Prevalence of Undernourishment (PoU)—the primary hunger metric—is often reported as a three-year moving average (e.g., 2023–2025) to provide a stable trend analysis.

3. Reporting Sequence and "The State of the World" Series

SOFI is part of a broader suite of FAO flagship reports known as the "State of the World" series. These reports are staggered to provide a 360-degree view of agrifood systems:

• SOFI (July): Focuses on hunger, malnutrition, and the affordability of healthy diets.

• SOFA (The State of Food and Agriculture - Late Q4): Focuses on a specific structural theme, such as the "True Cost of Food" or agricultural automation.

• SOFIA (Fisheries), SOFO (Forests), and SOLAW (Land & Water): These are typically biennial (published every two years), providing deep-dives into the management of specific natural resources.

4. Special "In-Brief" and Digital Editions

The publication period also includes the simultaneous release of:

• Regional Overviews: Follow-up reports published in late Q3 and Q4 that provide localized data for Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Europe, and the Near East.

• Interactive Digital Platforms: Real-time updates to the FAOSTAT and Hunger Map databases, allowing researchers to access raw data immediately following the flagship launch.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): Understanding the SOFI 2026 Framework

The following questions address common inquiries regarding the methodology, terminology, and practical application of the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) indicators.

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1. General Methodology & Definitions

Q: What is the difference between "Undernourishment" and "Malnutrition"?

• Undernourishment (PoU): Refers specifically to dietary energy intake that is lower than the minimum requirement (chronic hunger). It is the primary metric for SDG Target 2.1.1.

• Malnutrition: A broader term that includes undernutrition (stunting, wasting, vitamin deficiencies) as well as overweight and obesity.

Q: Why are most indicators reported as a "Progress Score" of 0–100?

The score represents the Distance to Target. A score of 100 means the country has achieved the specific 2030 benchmark for that indicator. This allows for a standardized comparison between highly different metrics, such as "Genomic Data Access" and "School Meal Coverage."

Q: Does the 2026 report use real-time data?

While the flagship report primarily uses validated data from the previous year (2025), the 2026 cycle has integrated "Nowcasting" techniques. These utilize satellite imagery and AI to provide near real-time estimates for crop yields and market price volatility in high-risk zones.

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2. Technology & Innovation (The 2026 Focus)

Q: What are the "Four Betters" often mentioned in the objectives?

They are the four pillars of the FAO Strategic Framework: Better Production, Better Nutrition, Better Environment, and Better Life. Every indicator from 1 to 260 is mapped to at least one of these categories.

Q: How does the report measure the impact of AI on food security?

Indicator 141 and 167 specifically track the integration of AI in pest forecasting and disease management. Success is measured by the reduction in crop loss and the efficiency of chemical inputs compared to traditional methods.

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3. Policy & Implementation

Q: How can a country become a "Lighthouse Country"?

A Lighthouse Country is a nation that achieves a Progress Score of 90 or above in a specific category. These nations are invited by the FAO to share their legislative frameworks and technical "blueprints" with other member states through the FAO South-South and Triangular Cooperation program.

Q: Why is "Dietary Diversity" included as a critical indicator?

Recent SOFI reports have shifted focus from just "filling bellies" to the cost and affordability of a healthy diet. Indicators for women (193) and children (161) track whether populations have access to diverse food groups, which is a better predictor of long-term health than calorie counts alone.

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4. Publication & Access

Q: When is the raw data for these indicators updated?

While the flagship SOFI report is annual (July), the raw datasets are updated continuously via FAOSTAT. Major revisions to global hunger numbers typically occur every quarter as new national household surveys are processed.

Q: Is the SOFI report legally binding for UN Member States?

No. However, it serves as the official monitoring tool for SDG 2. High-scoring countries often receive preferential access to green financing and agrifood investment, while low-scoring areas are prioritized for technical assistance and emergency humanitarian funding.

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Glossary of Key Terms: SOFI 2026 Framework

To ensure clarity across the 260+ indicators, the following glossary defines the technical terminology and metrics used by the FAO and its partner organizations in the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World reporting cycle.

Term	Definition	Context/Application
PoU (Prevalence of Undernourishment)	An estimate of the proportion of the population whose habitual food consumption is insufficient to provide the dietary energy levels required to maintain a normal, active, and healthy life.	The primary global "hunger" metric for SDG 2.1.1.
FIES (Food Insecurity Experience Scale)	A experience-based metric measuring the severity of food insecurity based on people's direct responses to questions regarding their access to food.	Used to track "Moderate" vs. "Severe" food insecurity (SDG 2.1.2).
Four Betters	The strategic pillars of the FAO: Better Production, Better Nutrition, Better Environment, and Better Life.	The organizing framework for all 2026 strategic indicators.
Bioeconomy	An economy where the basic building blocks for materials, chemicals, and energy are derived from renewable biological resources, such as plant and animal marine resources.	Key to indicators 144, 166, and 183 regarding sustainable feedstock.
One Health	An integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals, and ecosystems.	Applied in indicator 160 and 200 for zoonotic disease surveillance.
Nutrient Density	The amount of essential nutrients (vitamins, minerals, protein) relative to the calorie content of a food item.	Central to indicators 161 and 253 regarding healthy diets.
Blue Transformation	A targeted strategy to maximize the contribution of aquatic food systems to food security and nutrition while preserving ecosystem health.	Applied in indicators 151, 184, and 202–205.
Agroecology	A holistic approach that simultaneously applies ecological and social concepts to the design and management of food and agricultural systems.	Measured through indicators like 223 (Agro-ecological zoning).
Food Loss vs. Food Waste	Loss occurs from harvest up to (but not including) the retail level; Waste occurs at the retail, food service, and consumer levels.	Tracked separately in indicators 172 (Waste) and 188 (Loss).
Smallholder	Farmers, pastoralists, or fishers who manage small areas of land or small-scale aquatic operations, typically relying on family labor.	The focus of "Better Life" indicators such as 154, 168, and 222.
Nowcasting	The use of high-frequency data (satellite, mobile, AI) to provide current-period estimates of indicators before traditional survey data is available.	Used for real-time price monitoring (155) and yield forecasting (213).
Lighthouse Country	A nation identified as a global leader in a specific indicator (scoring 90+), serving as a model for policy replication.	Used to categorize the "Leading Country" in each indicator table.

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