Generated Summary
This report examines the challenges of scaling up financing for food security and nutrition to meet Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Targets 2.1 and 2.2 by 2030. The study presents a new definition of financing for food security and nutrition, emphasizing the need for increased and more effective use of existing financial resources. It provides a framework for tracking and analyzing financial flows, distinguishing between core and extended definitions of financing that encompass various interventions across sectors and stakeholders. The research focuses on the primary determinants of food security and nutrition: food availability, economic and physical access to food, food utilization, and stability over time. It also explores the major drivers of food insecurity and malnutrition, including conflict, climate variability, economic downturns, and inequality. The report assesses the current levels of financing, the gaps in funding, and the potential of innovative financing approaches to address these challenges. The methodology incorporates a four-level classification system to map financing flows and uses a combination of global and national data sources.
Key Findings & Statistics
The study presents several key statistics related to food security and financing:
- Global hunger, measured by the prevalence of undernourishment (PoU), has persisted at nearly the same level for three consecutive years, affecting 9.1 percent of the population in 2023.
- Number of undernourished people: Between 713 and 757 million people (8.9 and 9.4 percent of the global population) were estimated to be undernourished in 2023.
- Prevalence of food insecurity: The prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity remained unchanged for three consecutive years.
- People facing food insecurity: In 2023, an estimated 28.9 percent of the global population (2.33 billion people) were moderately or severely food insecure.
- Unaffordability of a healthy diet: More than one-third of people in the world (about 2.8 billion) could not afford a healthy diet in 2022.
- Official development assistance (ODA) and other official flows (OOF): For food security and nutrition amounted to USD 77 billion in 2021, of which 34 percent helped address the major drivers of food insecurity and malnutrition.
- Cost of a healthy diet (CoHD): Increased to an average of 3.96 PPP dollars per person per day in 2022, up from 3.56 PPP dollars in 2021.
- Number of people unable to afford a healthy diet: Fell for two consecutive years, from 2.88 billion in 2021 to 2.83 billion in 2022.
Other Important Findings
- Financing Definition: The report proposes a new definition of financing for food security and nutrition, encompassing resources that support food availability, access, utilization, and stability, along with practices that favor healthy diets and health services.
- Main Drivers and Approaches: The report identifies the major drivers of food insecurity and malnutrition, including conflict, climate variability, and economic downturns, and recommends a holistic approach involving six transformative policy pathways.
- Innovative Financing Instruments: The study highlights the importance of innovative financing approaches and tools, such as blended finance and de-risking instruments, to bridge the financing gap and scale up investments.
- Policy Recommendations: The report emphasizes the need for increased transparency, coordination, and efficiency in the allocation and use of financing flows, with a call for governments to prioritize food security and nutrition in national budgets and international development assistance.
Limitations Noted in the Document
The study acknowledges several limitations that may affect the accuracy and scope of its findings:
- Data Gaps: The report highlights challenges related to data availability, especially for private financing flows. The lack of comprehensive data on financing flows may lead to underestimations of the real financing gap.
- Definition Challenges: Applying the new definition of financing is challenging due to the complexity of the subject matter and the need for broad understanding.
- Model Assumptions: Global analyses often rely on existing model-based scenarios, the validity of which hinges on underlying assumptions and may not fully represent real-world conditions.
- Exclusion of Certain Interventions: The study focuses primarily on financing for food security and nutrition and may not fully account for interventions that indirectly influence these areas.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the report emphasizes that global action is urgently needed to address the financing gap for food security and nutrition, with a call for increased and more effective utilization of existing resources, including re-prioritization of public budgets to make healthy diets more affordable. It suggests that while current financing mechanisms are insufficient to meet the challenge, the implementation of the proposed new definition and the recommendations for action can enable the global community to improve the food security situation and enhance the ability to reach Sustainable Development Goal 2 and all associated goals by 2030. The report highlights the crucial role of a holistic approach that combines humanitarian and development efforts, and the active involvement of the public sector. The report stresses that the efforts must include the private sector and the establishment of a more equitable and sustainable architecture for financing. The report concludes by underlining the importance of data transparency, clear priorities, and innovative financing mechanisms, particularly for addressing the main determinants of hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition and calls for action from governments and key stakeholders to make sustainable changes in the agrifood sector. This includes promoting collaboration, and a commitment to the right to adequate food and nutrition, as well as increased financial support.
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