August 2014: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon submitted a report to the UN General Assembly’s 69th Session on ‘Agriculture development, food security and nutrition’ (A/69/279). The report examines progress in achieving food security and nutrition, increasing agricultural production, and reducing agricultural loss and waste. It also considers how to maintain momentum on food security, nutrition and sustainable agriculture within the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the post-2015 development agenda.

The Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target to halve the proportion of hungry people by 2015 remains within reach, “if actions are stepped up and progress continues to improve,” according to the report. It notes, however, that the World Food Summit (WFS) target to halve the number of hungry people by 2015 “is likely out of reach,” although individual countries are on track. The report cautions that neither of these targets addresses undernutrition, including micronutrient deficiencies, stunting and wasting, and recommends addressing stunting in the post-2015 agenda.

“There is an emerging consensus that food security in the post-2015 development agenda should be aligned with the Istanbul Declaration and the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs),” according to the report. It notes that the Open Working Group (OWG) on the SDGs incorporated some priorities from this Programme (IPOA) in its goal and targets on food security, nutrition and sustainable agriculture, and recommends carrying these forward in the post-2015 agenda, particularly targets on capacity building and means of implementation (MOI).

The report recommends incorporating a headline goal, such as SDG 2, in the post-2015 agenda to prioritize ending hunger and malnutrition, address food system sustainability and maintain the natural resource base for agriculture, including goals and targets on the protection, restoration and sustainable management of terrestrial ecosystems, in line with the report by the Committee on World Food Security’s (CFS) High-level Panel of Experts on food security and nutrition. The report further recommends, inter alia: post-2015 nutrition targets take into account 2012 World Health Assembly (WHA) targets on malnutrition; and addressing climate threats to food security, including through research and investments to support the adaptation of smallholder farmers.

Regarding progress on sustainably increasing agricultural productivity, the report discusses support for smallholder farmers and resilience in the face of climate change and increasing natural disasters. On progress in ensuring sustainable food systems, the report addresses reducing losses and waste and food price volatility, trade and investment.

The report also discusses: progress on the Zero Hunger Challenge; the Committee on World Food Security; the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement, an effort to eliminate malnutrition; and cooperation.

The report is up for consideration under Item 25 of the UNGA Second Committee’s agenda, currently scheduled for discussion on 30 October 2014. [Publication: Report of the Secretary-General on agriculture development, food security and nutrition] [Documents for UNGA 69 Second Committee]