Following recent revelation that the fight against hunger has stalled, a gathering of global leaders taking stock of progress made in transforming food systems has disclosed that $400 billion would be required to fight hunger globally.
The United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres, said this in his opening address during a high-level panel at the UN Food Systems Summit + 2 Stocktaking Moment on Monday.
The summit was convened by Guterres, who said: “In a world of plenty, it is outrageous that people continue to suffer and die from hunger.”
He added, “Starving food systems on investment means, quite literally, starving people.”
The emerging global vision is to create a new food financial architecture with governments, the private sector and development partners mobilising as much as US$400 billion a year until 2030 – far less than the cost of inaction estimated at $12 trillion a year in environmental, social, and economic damage to communities, families, livelihoods and lives.
On his part, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Alvaro Lario, said: “The cost of inaction is much higher than the cost of action. If we really want to take people out of hunger, out of poverty, we need investments, not only (humanitarian) assistance. And those investment need to be very much focused on pro-poor rural policies.”
He added that firm financial and political commitments are needed to halt current trends and build a food secure future.
“Today’s food systems have failed to make nutritious diets accessible or affordable for all. Four out 10 people worldwide are unable to afford a healthy diet. We must build a world where healthy and nutritious food is available and affordable for everyone, everywhere.
“If we don’t act now, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and climate targets remain completely out of reach,” Lario added.
According to the latest figures that the UN released on 12 July, 122 million more people were suffering chronic malnourishment since 2019.
Currently, over three billion people in the world cannot afford a healthy diet. Food systems are responsible for one-third of greenhouse gas emissions, up to 80 per cent of biodiversity loss and up to 70 per cent of fresh-water consumption.
Financing food systems transformation: a cost within reach.
“We need to massively scale-up investments in rural development and across food systems to help small-scale farmers produce more food and more diversified food, access markets, value chains and technologies and adapt to climate change,” added Lario.
IFAD, the only UN fund that exclusively focuses on rural areas, is co-leading the financing agenda together with the World Bank Group.
“All the governments represented here today have committed to eliminating poverty and hunger, and to taking urgent climate action by 2030. So, I am here to say loudly and clearly that we will not succeed – that you will not succeed – unless we transform our food systems today.
“The stakes are higher than ever. The next few years are critical for financing food security,” said Sabrina Elba, who is receiving an honourable mention at the UN SDG Awards for her work as IFAD’s Goodwill Ambassador.
The Summit is taking stock over the next three days of the progress made to create inclusive, sustainable and resilient food systems. The event is hosting 2,000 in-person participants and thousands of virtual attendees from 170 countries – including 22 heads of state, 103 ministerial level delegates, close to 100 Food Systems National Convenors, 450 non-state actor (NSA) delegates, and high-level delegates from the UN system and other international organisations.
Follow us on:
President Tinubu has ordered an investigation into the arrest, prosecution of minors involved in #EndBadGovernance…
Musk's $1M giveaway is under legal scrutiny in a Pennsylvania court case as it targets…
Kemi Badenoch has appointed former rivals Jenrick, Patel, and Stride to senior roles in her…
Boeing workers voted Monday on a new contract to end a seven-week strike
EFCC has arrested ex-Delta governor Ifeanyi Okowa for alleged misuse of oil derivation funds, diverting…
Barcelona faces severe flooding as search and rescue efforts continue.
View Comments
GOIF3 ₦400, 000
GOIF4 ₦500,000
Toyota Camry Tiny Light ₦550,000
Toyota Corolla ₦700,000
Toyota 4Runner ₦850,000
Toyota Avalon ₦700,000
Toyota Highlander ₦900,000
Toyota Matrix #800,000
Toyota Rav4 ₦780,000
Toyota Sequoia ₦900,000
Toyota Tacoma ₦1.2M
Toyota Tundra ₦1.8M
Toyota Yaris ₦650,000
Honda Baby Boy ₦450,000
Honda Accord EOD ₦600,000
Honda City ₦550,000
Honda Crosstour ₦2.6M
Honda CR-V ₦800,000.
Honda Odyssey ₦650,000
Honda Pilot ₦950,000
Lexus RX300 ₦1.4Million
Lexus RX330 ₦1.7Million
Lexus RX350 ₦2.4Million
Lexus Es350 1,300,000
ES330 1mill
Land Rover Discovery ₦3.2Million
Land Rover Freelander ₦3.6Million
Land Range Rover Sport ₦2Million
Range Rover evogue 3.0m
Acura MDX ₦1.8Million
ZDX 1.680M
Audi A4 ₦500,000
Audi A6 ₦700,000
DYNA TRUCK 900,000
BMW 3-Series ₦1.3Million
BMW 5-Series ₦1.6Million
BMW X5 ₦1.8Million
BMW X6 ₦2.3Million
Infiniti FX35 ₦1.9Million
Infiniti FX45 ₦2.6Million
Infiniti QX4 ₦2.1Million
Mazda 626 ₦600,000
Mazda MPV ₦640,000
Mercedes-Benz C-Class ₦1.3Million
Mercedes-Benz E-Class ₦1.8Million
Mercedes-Benz GLK ₦3.Million
Mercedes-Benxz ML320 ₦1Million
Mercedes-Benz ML350 ₦3Million
Nissan Altima ₦1.4Million
Nissan Armanda ₦1.9Million
Nissan Maxima ₦2.1Million.......O7O 4540 6674