The Second Food Systems Summit Stocktake (UNFSS+4) concluded with the launch of the UN Secretary-General’s call to action, urging governments, businesses, civil society, and international partners to accelerate efforts to transform food systems to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
A UNFSS+4 news release acknowledges progress since the first Food Systems Summit in 2021, including 130 States adopting national pathways for transformation, 169 countries implementing school meal programs, and USD 17.8 billion in disbursements from international financial institutions (IFIs). However, it notes, between 638 million and 720 million people experienced hunger in 2024, and 2.6 billion could not afford a healthy diet.
The Call to Action identifies six areas requiring urgent investment and collaboration:
- Delivering in complex settings through funding and innovation;
- Deepening dialogue, policy, and coordination;
- Expanding finance and investment, particularly for smallholder farmers;
- Integrating environmental, economic, and social dimensions of food systems;
- Harnessing science, artificial intelligence (AI), and new technologies responsibly; and
- Strengthening intergenerational collaboration by empowering youth as co‑leaders of transformation.
In a video message to the Stocktake, the Secretary-General called on participants to build on new partnerships like the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty and scale up action across sectors by breaking down silos, addressing power imbalances, and unlocking and connecting finance at scale.
UNFSS+4 convened in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 27-29 July 2025. It was hosted by the Governments of Ethiopia and Italy. Discussions drew on the Secretary-General’s UNFSS+4 report titled, ‘Accelerating Inclusive, Resilient and Sustainable Food Systems Transitions for People and Planet,’ which calls for accelerated action to transform the world’s food systems as a cornerstone of delivering the 2030 Agenda.
The report shows that there is a more coordinated and diverse community of governments, UN agencies, civil society, Indigenous Peoples, youth, farmers, businesses, and others working together to align food systems pathways with national development goals and the SDGs. Some of the key trends identified in the report include: the right to food is gaining ground; policy integration is deepening; governance mechanisms are becoming more fit-for-purpose; and coalitions and partnerships are expanding. In addition: inclusivity is being prioritized; science, data, and technology are driving change; and financing is mobilizing.
The 2025 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report (SOFI 2025), launched during UNFSS+4, provided the Stocktake with critical information on progress towards ending hunger, achieving food security, and improving nutrition. [From Rome to Addis and Beyond: Call to Action by the Secretary-General] [UNFSS+4 Concluding News Release] [Publication: Accelerating Inclusive, Resilient and Sustainable Food Systems Transitions for People and Planet: Report of the Secretary-General] [UNFSS+4 News Release on Report’s Launch]