World hunger is one of the most widespread problems on our planet. The World Food Programme estimates that some 795 million in the world do not have enough food to lead a normal, active life. That is about 1 in every 9 people on earth.
In its annual general assembly, the United Nations (U.N.) committed to 17 global goals. One of their major goals is to end global hunger by 2030.
U.S. president Barack Obama addressed the goal at the 2015 Sustainable Development Summit, calling it “not charity but instead is one of the smartest investments we can make in our own future.”
To reach this goal, the UN plans to cut food waste in half, and improve agricultural output globally by using sustainable practices. The United States made similar goals this year as well.
Food waste is a major problem worldwide. The National Resources Defense Council reports that in the United States, 40 percent of food gets thrown away and wasted, which adds up to about $162 billion a year. This averages to around $1,500 of wasted money per family.
The U.N. published the following goals concerning global hunger:
• By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round
• By 2030, end all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under 5 years of age, and address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women and older persons
• By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists and fishers, including through secure and equal access to land, other productive resources and inputs, knowledge, financial services, markets and opportunities for value addition and non-farm employment
• By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality
• By 2020, maintain the genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants and farmed and domesticated animals and their related wild species, including through soundly managed and diversified seed and plant banks at the national, regional and international levels, and promote access to and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, as internationally agreed
• Increase investment, including through enhanced international cooperation, in rural infrastructure, agricultural research and extension services, technology development and plant and livestock gene banks in order to enhance agricultural productive capacity in developing countries, in particular least developed countries
• Correct and prevent trade restrictions and distortions in world agricultural markets, including through the parallel elimination of all forms of agricultural export subsidies and all export measures with equivalent effect, in accordance with the mandate of the Doha Development Round
• Adopt measures to ensure the proper functioning of food commodity markets and their derivatives and facilitate timely access to market information, including on food reserves, in order to help limit extreme food price volatility
Note: None of the information in our website is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any illness or disease. The content on our website is for educational purposes only.
DON’T FORGET to sign up for our weekly newsletter to get our latest articles, updates, free recipes and giveaways.
Leonardo DiCaprio’s gala raised $40 million for the environment.
France forces supermarkets to give unsold food to charity.
Greywater systems could help fix California’s drought.
REFERENCES:
1. “U.N. Sets Goal to End Global Hunger by 2030.” TakePart. TakePart, n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2015.
2. “The Global Goals.” The Global Goals. The Global Goals, n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2015.
3. “Obama at U.N. Commits to Program to Eliminate World Hunger, Poverty.” Providencejournal.com. Providence Journal, n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2015.
4. “Hunger Statistics.” WFP. United Nations World Food Programme, n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2015.
