The cost of maintaining a healthy diet has risen by 25 per cent in the last five years, leaving nearly one-third of the global population unable to afford nutritious food, according to the United Nations.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), in its 2026 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report released on Wednesday, said a healthy diet now requires an average of $4.28 per person per day based on purchasing power parity.
FAO Chief Economist, Maximo Torero Cullen, disclosed that about 2.69 billion people worldwide still cannot afford a healthy diet.
“The challenge therefore is not to produce enough calories, it is making nutrient-rich foods more affordable,” Torero said during a press briefing at the UN headquarters in New York.
The report noted that the cost burden varies across food categories, with staple foods such as grains and beans accounting for 13 per cent of a healthy diet cost, while animal products account for nearly 30 per cent and fruits and vegetables make up 16 per cent.
Torero said increasing local food production could significantly reduce the cost of nutritious diets, particularly in Africa, where locally produced foods could cut costs by almost 80 per cent compared with a standard global food basket.
He urged governments to redirect subsidies towards nutrient-rich foods beyond staples such as rice and wheat, while investing in local infrastructure and logistics to reduce food distribution costs.
According to him, between 70 and 75 per cent of the cost of a healthy diet is generated after food leaves the farm.
The report identified Latin America, particularly the Caribbean, as the region with the highest healthy diet costs, partly due to reliance on food exports rather than increasing local supply.
Looking ahead, Torero warned that global food prices could face further pressure from uncertainties, including disruptions to fertiliser supplies linked to the Strait of Hormuz situation and the impact of a strong El Niño weather pattern expected later in 2026.
