Zero hunger goal for 2030 increasingly unattainable — Sustainable food experts

…advocate localised food market as a solution

A report by the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES) has revealed that the progress on global hunger is in reverse with nearly 30% of the world food insecure.

The Report Titled ‘Food from Somewhere, Building Food Security and Resilience through Territorial Market’s published Tuesday, stated that the pandemic, the invasion of Ukraine, and recent climate shocks have led to supply chain chaos, volatile food prices, empty shelves, and a surge in hunger levels.

“Progress on global hunger is in reverse. With nearly 30% of the world food insecure and 42% unable to afford a healthy diet, the ‘zero hunger’ goal for 2030 is increasingly unattainable,” the report stated.

The report also underlines the fragility of global industrial food chains.

“Corporate-controlled global food chains are catastrophically vulnerable to disruptions, climate change, and market volatility: they are not resilient. We cannot eradicate hunger while relying on just-in-time global supply chains that do not always work,” it said.

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Resilient food system needed

The Report stressed the need for resilience, stating that feeding a hungry world requires resilient food systems – particularly adaptability and robustness in the face of shocks.

The Report notes the importance of localised food systems. Close-to-home food supply chains (‘territorial markets’) are a critical but neglected approach to feeding a hungry world. Vast populations are fed daily by close-to-home food chains and markets – from public markets and street vendors to cooperatives, urban agriculture, and online direct sales – feeding as much as 70% of the world’s population.

“To reach the world’s zero hunger goal by 2030, we need to reimagine our food systems. We need to bolster the food markets that serve the poor. And we must move towards more diversity in our food systems,” said Jennifer Clapp, IPES-Food expert.

Another IPES-Food expert, Million Belay, said Global industrial food chains and ultra-processed foods are not feeding the world, they’re starving it.

“Our food systems must become more localised and more resilient. Local food webs rooted in communities and cultures – or territorial markets – are our best bet to tackle hunger and sustain the livelihoods of small-scale producers, in Africa and worldwide. They’re the sturdy roots that nourish communities and provide stability, while global supply chains sway and snap in the storm,” Belay said.

Localised food systems are vital for feeding an increasingly hungry planet and preventing food insecurity and famine. They provide nutritious, affordable food, and are far more adaptable to global shocks and disruptions than industrial supply chains.

Shalmali Guttal, another IPES food expert maintained the evidence is clear that localised food systems are vital for feeding an increasingly hungry planet and preventing food insecurity and famine. He said such systems provide nutritious, affordable food, and are far more adaptable to global shocks and disruptions than industrial supply chains.

“Bigger is not always better! It’s time for governments to act decisively to use public procurement to bolster sustainable small-scale producers, provide local and regional food markets with the infrastructure they need, and safeguard them from corporate dominance,” he said.