Towards Zero Hunger 1945–2030
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PUBLICATION PREPARED BY FAO OFFICE FOR CORPORATE COMMUNICATION The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. The views expressed in this information product are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of FAO. ISBN 978-92-5-109435-8 © FAO, 2017. All rights reserved. All requests for translation and adaptation rights, and for resale and other commercial use rights should be made via www.fao.org/contact-us/licence-request or addressed to [email protected] FAO information products are available on the FAO website (www.fao.org/publications) and can be purchased through [email protected] 2 | FAO 1945–2030 AFGHANISTAN, 1969. The Afghan Government undertook a five-year plan to improve sheep, cattle and poultry quality and production throughout the country, with the help of the UNDP Special Fund and FAO. Animal health assistants and animal husbandry workers received training at a school for non-professional assistants in Kabul and at a field training centre in Baghlan, where a demonstration area was set up for animal health and husbandry development work. FAO/F. Botts. Agricultural workers were offered short training courses. Photograph: © TOWARDS ZERO HUNGER | 3 FOREWORD or northeast Nigeria. The ongoing conflicts The 2030 Agenda there and elsewhere have displaced many for Sustainable Development calls for strong millions of people and disrupted, and political commitment to eradicate hunger by often destroyed, agricultural systems and 2030. This commitment is fundamental, but food chains. They help to explain why the it is not enough on its own. Hunger will number of chronically undernourished only be defeated if countries translate their people in the world has increased in pledges into concrete action, in order to recent years. break the vicious circle that traps the world’s FAO currently identifies 19 countries in poorERADICATING and hungry. a protracted HUNGER crisis situation; most of these While progress in combating the also often face extreme climatic events related scourges of poverty and hunger such as droughts and floods. Peace is of has been made in recent decades, these course the key to ending most protracted achievements are at risk of being reversed crises, but we cannot wait for peace to as conflict, climate change, populationBY 2030take action. We cannot save people by growth and changing dietary patterns pose simply putting them in camps. To save new challenges. lives, we have to save their livelihoods. According to the latest estimate, almost It is extremely important to ensure that 60 percent of the 815 million people these people have the conditions to keep suffering from hunger in the world live in their livelihoods or continue producing countries affected by conflict. We can all their own food. Vulnerable rural people see its terrible impacts in places such as cannot be left behind, especially youth Somalia, the Syrian Arab Republic, Yemen and women. 4 | FAO 1945–2030 Since FAO was set up in 1945, the can emerging economies reach their full world’s population has trebled and is potential if their workers are chronically now projected to reach almost 10 billion tired because of unbalanced diets? We by 2050. Back in the mid-1940s, experts at FAO are working to help make the were saying that we could never feed Decade of Action on Nutrition a success. 3 billion or 5 billion. Then came the The photographs in this book come green revolution that transformed global from different decades and from all over agriculture – although at a heavy cost the world. They bring home to me the to the environment. Now, we produce complex nature of the shared challenges enough to feed 10 billion people, yet we face today, and the importance of 815 million still go hungry. FAO’s role in tackling them. Perhaps, We need a new paradigm for above all, they show how interconnected agriculture and food systems in order to and interdependent we all are. produce more nutritious food in a more Now, more than ever, we must all sustainable manner. Indeed, the problem work together – and, as I travel the now is not only hunger, but the quantity globe, I do see real reasons for optimism. and the quality of the food we eat, and FAO’s work has evolved, but its how it is produced. mission has remained focused on the Indeed, for some countries, the so- ultimate aim of eradicating hunger called triple burden of malnutrition is a and malnutrition from our world. reality. This is where undernourishment, From the pioneering early years, to micronutrient deficiency and obesity the expansion of later decades and the coexist within the same country, the global partnerships of today, our work same communities and even the same has been recorded and documented households. Today, 1.9 billion people are every step of the way, not only in official overweight, of which at least 500 million texts and publications, but also by are obese, and 2 billion suffer from dedicated professional photographers. micronutrient deficiency. This collection of images from the The UN Decade of Action on various decades is but a sample of their Nutrition (2016–2025) is a major step work. Together with local support teams, towards mobilizing action around they have documented all aspects of reducing hunger and improving development work in the field. Like the nutrition around the world. It places people they have photographed, they too nutrition at the heart of sustainable have faced privation, hardship, disease development and recognizes that and violence. I thank them all for their improving nutrition and food systems too-often unsung contribution. are essential to achieving the entire 2030 Agenda. How can children reap the full benefits of schooling if they do not José Graziano da Silva receive the nutrients they need? How FAO Director-General TOWARDS ZERO HUNGER | 5 6 | FAO 1945–2030 #ZEROHUNGER FAO SPECIALFOR GOODWILL AMBASSADORS LATIN AMERICA A S I A A N D AFRICA EUROPE A N D NEAR EAST THE PACIFIC THE CARIBBEAN KANAYO F. MAHA CHAKRI CARLO GUADALUPE DARINE Kanayo F. Nwanze was the Her Royal Highness, Princess Carlo Petrini is the President Guadalupe Valdez is an Darine el Khatib is an President of the International Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, has long of Slow Food, an organization economist and former accomplished Lebanese media FundNWANZE for Agricultural SIRINDHORNbeen a champion of projects to workingPETRINI to prevent the congresswomanVALDEZ for the professional,EL KHATIB based in Dubai, Development (IFAD) until March end hunger and improve nutrition disappearance of local food Dominican Republic the United Arab Emirates. 2017. He has been a member of in her own country, Thailand, cultures and traditions, and (2010–2016) and coordinated With more than eight years the World Economic Forum’s but also in other countries of the to ensure everyone has access the Parliamentary Front Against of media management Global Agenda Council on Food Asia-Pacific region, including to good, clean and fair food. Hunger in Latin America and experience, she has held Security since 2010. He was Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Carlo Petrini’s outstanding the Caribbean, a voluntary various television and previously Director-General the Lao People’s Democratic contributions in the fields of the association of legislators created broadcasting positions. A of the Consultative Group Republic and Timor-Leste. In 1980, environment and sustainable in 2009 to build legislative dedicated advocate of Zero on International Agricultural Her Royal Highness initiated the development have also been frameworks for the eradication Hunger, she has launched a Research (CGIAR) Africa Rice Agriculture for School Lunch recognized by the United Nations of hunger in the region. campaign against hunger on Center for a decade. He was Project, which has led to more Environment Programme, She was also the leader of the the first regional television awarded the inaugural Africa than 30 years of development which named him Co-Winner Parliamentary Front of the channel specialized in food Food Prize in September 2016 work on improving the health of the2013 Champion of the Chamber of Deputies of the and cooking in the Near East. for his leadership of IFAD and and nutrition of school children Earth Award for “Inspiration Dominican Republic, where The campaign has included his advocacy in putting Africa’s through school lunches. and Act ion”. she promoted important field visits to distribute food aid smallholder farmers at the Since then, Her Royal Through a 2013 agreement, initiatives in favour of the in the poor areas of the region, centre of the global agricultural Highness has promoted good FAO and Slow Food have been eradication of hunger, such as schools awareness campaigns agenda. He has also received nutrition for children in addition to working together to promote the Law on Food Sovereignty and a social media campaign. honorary degrees from McGill numerous other activities, such as inclusive food and agriculture of the Dominican Republic. The campaign has encouraged University, Canada, and the interventions designed to control systems and have participated Throughout her life and career, people to minimize food waste, University of Warwick, the iodine and other micronutrient in joint advocacy campaigns and Guadalupe Valdez has made donate for the needy or donate United Kingdom, as well as deficiencies, promoting adequate global initiatives, including the key contributions to food a meal per day.