4 June 2013: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) launched the State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) on 4 June 2013, underscoring the high social and economic cost of malnutrition to the global community and recommendations to address the challenge.

The publication outlines the types of malnutrition, including undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and obesity, and describes a range of steps in a food system that can be used to address them. In particular, the report stresses the role that improved food systems can have in making food more affordable, diverse and nutritious.

In the report, the FAO recommends that countries ensure that agricultural policies provide incentives for the provision and consumption of legumes, meat, milk, vegetables and fruit in addition to staple grains. The FAO also describes the need to cut food loss and waste, improve the nutritional performance of supply chains, invest in education on nutrition and fortification of crops, and respond to the needs of mothers and young children. The FAO also stresses the importance of increasing women’s access to resources and income. [Publication: The State of Food and Agriculture 2013: Food Systems for Better Nutrition] [FAO Press Release] [UN Press Release]