SOFI 2026 Report: Cost of a Healthy Diet Up 25% — 2.69 Billion People Priced Out

The 2026 edition of the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report, released by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, presents a stark picture of global nutrition affordability. The cost of a healthy diet has risen dramatically, locking nearly a third of the world's population out of adequate nutrition. The findings, previewed at a UN press conference on July 15, 2026, point to deep structural problems in the way food is produced, processed, and delivered .

Global Price Surge Since 2021

The cost of a healthy diet has increased by 25% over the past five years, reaching an average of US$4.28 PPP per person per day . FAO Chief Economist Maximo Torero Cullen stated this increase is "not simply the result of temporary inflation" but also reflects "structural weaknesses in the way our agrifood systems produce, move, and deliver nutritious food" .

2.69 Billion People Cannot Afford Nutritious Food

Nearly one in three people globally — a total of 2.69 billion — cannot afford a healthy diet . This figure marks a slight increase from the 2025 SOFI estimate of approximately 2.6 billion, indicating that the affordability gap has not materially narrowed in the past year .

Where Costs Originate: FAO's Supply Chain Analysis

The report reveals a critical insight: 70% to 75% of the cost of a healthy diet is generated after food leaves the farm — in processing, transport, storage, marketing, and retail logistics .

Breakdown of cost contributors :

• Animal products: nearly 30% of total diet cost
• Fruits and vegetables: about 16%
• Staple foods (grains, legumes): only 13%

As Torero emphasized, "The challenge is not to produce enough calories, it is making nutrient-rich foods more affordable" .

A significant finding concerns regional solutions: in Africa, using locally produced foods instead of a standardized global basket could reduce costs by up to 80% .

Broader Risks to Global Food Security

FAO warned of two major near-term price risks that could worsen the affordability crisis :

1. Closure of the Strait of Hormuz — would severely disrupt global fertilizer supplies, raising production costs worldwide.
2. A "very strong" El Niño weather pattern expected to peak in late 2026, threatening agricultural output in vulnerable regions.

The report also notes that Latin America and the Caribbean face the highest regional diet costs, partly due to export-oriented food systems that limit affordable local supply .

Policy Recommendations

FAO urged governments to take concrete action to lower the cost of healthy diets :

• Redirect subsidies away from staple crops and toward nutrient-rich foods such as rice, wheat, legumes, and vegetables.
• Invest in local infrastructure and cold-chain logistics to lower post-farmgate costs, which represent the bulk of the final price.
• Promote local food production to reduce reliance on expensive global supply chains.

Report Timeline

The findings were previewed at a July 15, 2026 UN press conference in New York. The full SOFI 2026 report is scheduled for official launch at FAO headquarters in Rome on July 21, 2026 .