Agrifood Systems Struggle with Nutrition Challenges Amid Rising Global Hunger

As India observes National Nutrition Week from September 1 to 7, the global nutrition crisis remains a pressing concern. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the number of undernourished individuals has been steadily rising since 2014, reaching an alarming 821 million people in 2017. This means nearly 11 percent of the world's population is not getting enough food to eat, highlighting the urgent need to address global hunger and malnutrition. National Nutrition Week serves as a reminder of the importance of tackling these issues both in India and worldwide.

Persistent instability in conflict-ridden regions, adverse climate events in various parts of the world, and economic slowdowns that have affected even more peaceful areas have all contributed to this worsening situation. The situation is particularly dire in South America and many regions of Africa. Africa remains the continent with the highest PoU, affecting almost 21 percent of the population, or more than 256 million people. In South America, the PoU increased from 4.7 percent in 2014 to a projected 5.0 percent in 2017.

In Asia, the decreasing trend in undernourishment appears to be slowing significantly. The projected PoU for Asia in 2017 is 11.4 percent, representing over 515 million people. Without intensified efforts, the world will fall far short of achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of eradicating hunger by 2030. There is a growing recognition of the urgent need to transform agrifood systems to make them more sustainable, resilient, inclusive, and equitable.

But what exactly are agrifood systems, and what does a systems approach entail?

Agrifood systems encompass the journey of food—from farm to table—including the processes of growing, harvesting, processing, packaging, transporting, distributing, trading, buying, preparing, eating, and disposing of food products like cereals, vegetables, fish, fruits, and livestock. These systems also cover non-food products, such as forestry, animal rearing, the use of feedstock, biomass for biofuels, and fibers, all of which contribute to livelihoods. Agrifood systems involve all the people, activities, investments, and decisions that play a part in bringing these food and agricultural products to us.

Recognizing that systems are composed of complex, interrelated components that pursue multiple goals, a systems approach enables a diverse group of actors to understand how systems are structured and function. By collectively mapping out the different components, identifying drivers and their connections, and outlining possible courses of action, a systems approach can help clarify the issues at stake and pinpoint where decisions need to be made.

National Nutrition Week: Importance of Agrifood systems

Agrifood systems can play a crucial role in rescuing and accelerating progress toward the SDGs. Sustainable and resilient agrifood systems have immense potential to positively impact the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.

In 2021, the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) endorsed the Voluntary Guidelines on Food Systems and Nutrition (VGFSN). This was followed by the UN Food Systems Summit in September 2021 and the UN Food Systems Summit +2 Stocktaking Moment in July 2023. While there is broad consensus on the need to transform agrifood systems to make them more sustainable, resilient, inclusive, and equitable, the policy, legal, and governance requirements and implications for countries still need to be better articulated.

Decades of global development efforts have shown that narrow approaches and technological quick fixes do not work, particularly in the long term. Data, technology, and innovation can drive the transformation of agrifood systems, but only when accompanied by the right enabling environment and governance structures.

As the UN Secretary-General stated in his report, the path toward transformation requires “comprehensive planning, collaboration, and consideration of potential trade-offs, synergies, and international spillovers.” Countries will need to address the resistance and political backlash that may arise against change.

Efforts to transform agrifood systems face significant barriers, including a lack of policy coherence and coordination, insufficient capabilities and engagement of key stakeholders, increasing gender inequalities, socio-economic disparities within and among countries, and the asymmetry of power and economic interests that shape the political economy and control of the agrifood system.

For instance, measures aimed at protecting biodiversity and mitigating climate change may affect the rights of low-income individuals and those dependent on natural resources for their livelihoods. Efforts to combat obesity through stricter regulation may impact the economic interests of private companies that sell ultra-processed products. Additionally, the shift towards a more sustainable, less chemical-dependent agriculture that prioritizes diverse food production for local consumption to meet both livelihood and community nutrition objectives still often conflicts with the dominant agricultural model.

Moreover, in many cases, policies and laws are not aligned with transformative goals and are not adapted to existing institutional arrangements and political structures, which exacerbate inequalities and limit capabilities. These factors significantly influence whether these policies can be implemented on the ground and achieve the desired outcomes.