Generated Summary
This report analyzes the state of global food security and nutrition, focusing on the affordability of healthy diets. It examines how existing food and agricultural policies affect diets and explores potential policy options for repurposing support to make healthy diets more affordable. The study employs a multi-faceted approach, including analyses of the food security and nutrition situation, the cost and affordability of healthy diets, and the impact of various policy instruments. The report also considers trade-offs between different objectives and the role of multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder approaches. The report highlights the intensification of drivers of food insecurity and malnutrition: conflict, climate extremes and economic shocks, combined with growing inequalities, and how these challenges will be exacerbated by the war in Ukraine. The main recommendation is that governments start rethinking how they can reallocate their existing public budgets to make them more cost-effective and efficient in reducing the cost of nutritious foods and increasing the availability and affordability of healthy diets, with sustainability and leaving no one behind.
Key Findings & Statistics
- The prevalence of undernourishment globally rose from 8.0% in 2019 to 9.3% in 2020 and further increased to 9.8% in 2021, with an estimated 702 to 828 million people affected by hunger in 2021.
- Approximately 2.3 billion people worldwide faced moderate or severe food insecurity in 2021, with 11.7% of the global population experiencing severe food insecurity.
- The cost of a healthy diet in 2020 increased globally, with an average cost of USD 3.54 per person per day, which is 3.3% more than in 2019, and 6.7% more than in 2017.
- In 2020, almost 3.1 billion people could not afford a healthy diet, an increase of 112 million more people compared to 2019.
- The analysis of support by policy instrument indicates that, overall, price incentive measures and fiscal subsidies have been most widely used in HICs.
- In 2021, the prevalence of stunting among children under five years of age was 22.0% and the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding was 43.8%.
- The scenarios presented in the document point to potential policy options that can help increase the affordability of healthy diets. Removing border measures and market price controls would reduce the cost of nutritious foods.
- Government’s support to food and agriculture accounts for almost USD 630 billion per year on average over 2013–2018.
- Worldwide support to food and agriculture accounted for almost USD 630 billion per year on average over 2013–2018.
Other Important Findings
- The war in Ukraine is disrupting supply chains and further affecting prices of grain, fertilizer and energy.
- In many countries, fiscal subsidies to agricultural producers have increased the availability of, and reduced the price of staple foods and their derivatives.
- Governments support food and agriculture through various policies, including trade and market interventions that generate price incentives or disincentives.
- The use of border measures and market price controls can affect the availability, diversity and prices of food in domestic markets.
- Food and agricultural marketing services can have an impact on healthy diets through several channels.
- Enacting legislation on marketing of food and beverages, and the implementation of nutrition labelling policies.
- In low- and middle-income countries, market price controls overwhelmingly target commodities like wheat, maize, rice, as well as sugar, with the objective of stabilizing or raising farm incomes while ensuring supplies of staple foods for food security purposes.
Limitations Noted in the Document
- Due to a lack of detailed information, nowcasting the prevalence of undernourishment and the cost of a healthy diet required special treatment.
- The estimates on child stunting, wasting and overweight, as well as anaemia in women aged 15 to 49 years, have not been updated since the last edition of this report, as available data during this period do not provide sufficient regional and global coverage.
- The analysis of scenarios presented focuses on the direction and the relative magnitude of estimated effects, rather than on the actual magnitude.
- For some countries, data on policy support and nutrition outcomes are lacking.
- The global model-based analyses rely on several assumptions, data quality, and data coverage.
- The study relies on FIES data, which are collected directly from respondents in surveys, and therefore may not fully reflect the severe currency devaluation and economic instability.
Conclusion
The report highlights the need for a transformative shift in agrifood systems to ensure lower cost nutritious foods and affordable, healthy diets for all, sustainably, and inclusively. It emphasizes that global progress towards SDG 2 faces significant challenges, including conflict, climate extremes, and economic shocks, combined with growing inequalities. The key recommendation is for governments to reallocate existing public budgets to improve the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of food systems, specifically by focusing on reducing the cost of nutritious foods. It’s vital to acknowledge trade-offs, such as potential negative impacts on farm incomes or production in some scenarios. However, by focusing on “high-priority” foods, the report suggests that this will contribute to better diets, with agriculture being the key for the production of these nutritious foods. The report highlights the need for a multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder approach. The analysis also shows that in practice, governments may have to prioritize support to food and agriculture by focusing on the most vulnerable. The key insights indicate that policies that incentivise shifts in food supply chains, food environments, and consumer behaviour towards healthy eating patterns, while also mitigating the unintended consequences of the repurposed support will have to be implemented. The path to achieving food security and improved nutrition is complex, and it requires a multifaceted approach that includes action at both the policy and individual levels. By emphasizing a commitment to the principles of sustainability and inclusivity, the report provides a comprehensive framework for creating sustainable and effective agrifood systems to achieve SDG 2 and the related goals. The role of international collaboration is underscored as a means to realize these goals, supporting the most vulnerable populations, in particular. The long-term success of these actions requires political commitment, sound governance, and the active involvement of all stakeholders. By addressing current challenges with targeted actions and by capitalizing on emerging opportunities for agrifood systems, countries can not only improve their food security and nutrition but also ensure a future that is both equitable and sustainable.
IFFS Team Summary
- https://www.ifpri.org/event/virtual-event-transforming-food-systems-affordable-healthy-and-sustainable-diets-all-high
- Estimated 690 million people are hungry, or 8.9 percent of the world population –
- Increase of 10 million people in one year, nearly 60 million in five years
- ~ 750 million (one in ten people in the world) exposed to severe levels of food insecurity
- Increased form 8.3% to 9.7% from 2014 to 2019 (Pre COVID-19)
- ~ 2 billion people in the world are food insecure in 2019
- Definition = do not have regular access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food
- I.e. exposed to moderate levels of malnutrition, poor food quality, despite meeting calorie needs
- Increased from 14.1% to 16.3% from 2014 to 2019 (pre COVID-19)
- Healthy diet would cost $3.75 USD per person per day purchasing power parity (PPP)
- Global poverty line is $1.90 USD PPP
- World produces enough calories for all people, but not nutritious food
- Only Asia and upper income countries produce enough fruits and vegetables for their population
- Report recognizes extreme income inequality as an inherent part
- ~1/4 of world population experiences sever hunger or moderate food insecurity
- Rose from 22.4 to 25.9% from 2014 to 2019 (3.5% increase)
- Highest levels are in Africa, and a 9% increase in Latin America
- Nutritious food for global poor would cost 5 times as much as basic starchy food that meets caloric needs
- The world is not on track to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030.
- Due to COVID in 2020, preliminary numbers show
- 83 to 132 million additional people facing severe food insecurity / undernourishment In 2019
- In 2019, 21.3 percent (144.0 million) of children under 5 years of age were stunted,
- 6.9 percent (47.0 million) wasted and
- 5.6 percent (38.3 million) overweight
- The report is complex/conflicted regarding vegan diets, some times pro vegan and sometimes against
- Likely reflecting multiple authors and political influences
- On Page 97 and 98 of report it states that there are no unbiased trials about vegan diet and health
- Vegan diet is not suitable without access to supplements
- Vegetarian diets may have same issues according to report
- No sources are cited for this opinion
- Particular nutrients not identified,
- nor the ease of supplying B12, plant proteins, or calcium
- When actual research is cited, positive data is presented
- P100, 102 shows vegan diet benefits have slightly higher benefits than other healthy diets (which are also plant based/ plant shifted)
- P105 shows vegan diet cause greater reduction in land use
- P106 vegan diet shows greatest GHG reductions
- P109 lowest social cost of vegan diet
- Regardless of vegan diet, all of the options for greater nutrition, food security, cost, and ecology present diets that are significantly plant based
- Low meat, flexitarian, pescatarian, vegetarian and vegan and similar options presented
- All emphasize greater intake of whole foods including grains, pulses, nuts, seeds fruits and vegetables
- Aside from executive summary and table of contents, read though list of tables and figures as guide through the contents of different sections / chapters