Syllabus: GS3/Sustainable Development
Context
- The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI 2025) report has been released.
About
- This report is the annual global monitoring report for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 (targets 2.1 and 2.2) – to end hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition in all its forms.
- This year’s report examines the impact of food price inflation on food security and nutrition.
- Jointly Released by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations agency for children (UNICEF), the UN World Food Programme (WFP), and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Major Findings
- Level of Hunger: An estimated 8.2% of the global population, or about 673 million people, experienced hunger in 2024, down from 8.5% in 2023 and 8.7% in 2022.
- Hunger continued to rise in most subregions of Africa and western Asia.
- Improvements: Notable improvements are seen in southern Asia and Latin America.
- The prevalence of undernourishment (PoU) in Asia fell from 7.9% in 2022 to 6.7% or 323 million people, in 2024.
- Projection: 512 million people could be chronically undernourished by 2030, almost 60% of those will be in Africa.
- The prevalence of stunting in children under five declined from 26.4% in 2012 to 23.2% in 2024.
- There is an increase in the global prevalence of anaemia among women aged 15 to 49, from 27.6% in 2012 to 30.7% in 2023.
- Challenges in Achieving Food Security: Global policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic – characterized by extensive fiscal and monetary interventions – combined with the impacts of the war in Ukraine and extreme weather events, contributed to recent inflationary pressures.
- Since 2020, global food price inflation has consistently outpaced headline inflation.
- Low-income countries have been particularly hit hard by rising food prices.
Recommendations
- Protect vulnerable populations with well-designed fiscal responses.
- Align fiscal and monetary policies to stabilize markets.
- Prioritize structural and trade-related measures for lasting impact.
- Strengthen and invest in data and information flows.
- Invest in resilient agrifood systems.
| Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – Adoption: The United Nations General Assembly, during its 70th Session in 2015, adopted the document titled “Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” 1. This document outlines 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 associated targets. – The SDGs, also known as the Global Goals, came into force with effect from 1st January 2016. – Aim: The SDGs serve as a comprehensive blueprint aimed at achieving a better and more sustainable future for all. 1. The goals call for action on addressing global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice. – Applicability: The SDGs are universal, applying to all nations—developed, developing and least developed countries. 1. Countries are primarily responsible for following up and reviewing the progress made in implementing the goals and targets at the national level until 2030. – Legality: The SDGs are not legally binding, but they have effectively become international obligations and have the potential to reorient domestic spending priorities in countries. 1. Countries are expected to take ownership and develop a national framework to monitor these goals.  |
Source: WHO
