The rate of malnutrition and hungry people globally has declined but at a slow rate in the past three years due to efforts by countries to fulfil the “The Zero hunger challenge” (ZHC), one of the United Nations’ global goals for sustainable development. This is an initiative which was envisioned by the U.N Secretary General, Mr Ban Ki Moon in 2012 which rests on five basic pillars in order to give countries direction on ways to eliminate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition for every citizen globally. One of the pillars, works towards reducing hunger in developing countries by increasing smallholder’s income and empowering women in agriculture and farmers’ organizations with the aim of reducing rural poverty and improving well-being.
A number of developed countries are taking
action mainly on this pillar in helping developing countries. As stated by H.E
Neil D. Briscoe, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland during a Model United Nations Conference at the
Food and Agriculture Organization Headquarters in Rome, Italy on September 21st
2015, “UK is working towards the “end of AID” to developing countries in order
to create jobs, increase smallholder’s income and empower women so as to reduce
rural poverty and improve well-being mainly in Sub-Sahara Africa, South America
and South Asia.” The Zero hunger challenge is not only a problem for the
developing countries but also involves developed countries as they play a huge
role on food wastes. More than 800 million people around the world are hungry and
do not have access to nutritious food.
“The annual global food production can
nourish almost 11 billion people, but it is a shame because everyone wastes
about 180kilograms of food per year which amounts to 1.3 billion tonnes
annually” posits Ms Clara V. Fraga, Chief Officer-in-Charge, Outreach and
Promotions, Office for Corporate Communication.
The ZHC rests on the following five
pillars;
1. Zero
stunted children younger than 2 years old
2. 100%
access to adequate food all year round
3. All
food systems are sustainable
4. 100%
increase in smallholder productivity and income
5. Zero loss or waste of food
The first pillar refers to safeguarding
access to nutritious foods in the 1000 day opportunity which is the period
between start of pregnancy and a child’s 2nd birthday. This should be enhanced
by nutrition sensitive health care, water, sanitation, education and specific
nutrition interventions coupled with initiatives that enable empowerment of
women. The second pillar refers to enabling all people to access the food they
need at all times through nutrition-sensitive agriculture and food systems,
marketing, decent and productive employment.
The third pillar is directed at ensuring
that all farmers, agribusinesses, cooperatives, governments, unions and civil
societies establish standards for sustainability; verifying their observance
and being accountable for them; encouraging and rewarding universal adoption of
sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture practices. The forth pillar focuses
on increasing smallholder productivity
and income so as to reduce rural poverty and improving wellbeing through
encouraging decent work, and increasing smallholders. Finally the fifth pillar addresses the
issue of minimizing food losses during storage and transport, and waste of food
by retailers and consumers; empowering consumer choice through appropriate
labelling; commitments by producers, retailers and consumers within all
nations.
However, the “Zero Hunger Challenge” does
not only require huge corporations and governments for the vision to be
implemented. It begins with each global citizen thinking and acting appropriately
to save and not lose or waste any food between its production and consumption
process. Just imagine if each person was to consume the minimum average amount
of food reasonably without wasting any small percentage, everyone would benefit
from the world food production. We need to empower one another to have 100%
food sustainable systems, and moreover educate each other on the importance of
obtaining a nutritious and balanced diet to prevent stunted growth of children.
It all begins with one’s simple actions to make the world a better place for
all of us.
