The State of Food Insecurity Report underscores that achieving the Millennium Development Goal of halving the share of hungry people in developing countries is still possible, and that a solution that combines broad economic growth, including of agriculture, along with continued investments in social safety nets is necessary.
9 October 2012: In the State of Food Insecurity in the World report for 2012 (SOFI), released on 9 October 2012, the UN food agencies present improved estimates on the state of chronic undernourishment, noting that 98% of the world’s undernourished people live in developing countries. The report notes that achievement of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of reducing by half the share of hungry people in developing countries is still within reach.
The revised figures suggest that progress in reducing hunger has been more pronounced than previously believed. However, despite a global decline in the number of hungry people from 18.6% to 12.5% of the population, there has been a relative levelling off of this trend over the past five years. The UN food agencies – the World Food Programme (WFP), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) – advocate for a “twin track” approach, based on economic growth alongside safety nets for the most vulnerable.
Geographically, only Africa saw an increase in the number of hungry people, from 175 million to 239 million, including a reversal in progress since 2007. The report underscores that overall growth must be accompanied by growth in the agricultural sector, with particular attention paid to nutrition, including micronutrient malnutrition. The link between economic growth and better nutrition has been weak, the report notes, citing the challenge of obesity, overweight and related diseases, which affect more than 1.4 billion people. The report also advocates for continued investment in social protection systems such as cash transfers, food vouchers and health insurance, as well as nutrition programs for young children.
Similar reports have been produced by the UN food agencies since 1990, and seek to capture long-term trends, as opposed to short-term effects of food price surges and economic shocks. The agencies also continue their efforts to improve the indicator set used to capture the dimensions of food security. [Publication: The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2012] [FAO Press Release] [IFAD Press Release] [WFP Press Release]