The Global Challenge of Zero Hunger
The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) aims to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030. Currently, there are 828 million hungry people in the world, including 349 million people facing severe hunger, making this the largest global food crisis in modern history. The goal of achieving zero hunger reflects five elements from within the Sustainable Development Goals which, when taken together, can end hunger and massively transform agriculture and food systems. Despite the enormity of this challenge, we have the solutions for creating a zero hunger world, but implementation requires coordinated efforts across multiple sectors and stakeholders.
Major Challenges to Achieving Zero Hunger
Conflict and Hunger: A Vicious Cycle
Conflict stands as the greatest challenge to Zero Hunger, with almost 60% of the world's hungriest people living in conflict-affected zones. When war erupts, instability forces people to find illicit and sometimes violent means of acquiring necessities, creating a vicious cycle where hunger and conflict perpetuate each other. The United Nations World Food Programme is often on the frontlines of the world's worst conflicts, delivering lifesaving food in hard-to-reach areas where others cannot operate. In 2018, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 2417, which condemns the use of starvation as a weapon of war and acknowledges the link between conflict and hunger.
Climate Change and Environmental Stress
Climate extremes are one of the main drivers of severe hunger worldwide. Communities frequently operate in recovery mode due to diminished economies, destroyed infrastructure, and disrupted access to food caused by extreme weather events like droughts, flooding, hurricanes, and cyclones. Global food insecurity is primarily driven by violent conflict, climate change, the ripple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the rising cost of living. These mutually reinforcing drivers create a perfect storm, eroding the ability of governments, organizations, communities, and families to respond effectively.
Poverty and Inequality
Poverty and inequality are root causes of global hunger. The economic impact of hunger is substantial, as the agricultural sector relies on pollination services provided by bees and other insects, contributing billions of dollars to the global economy. The decline in bee populations can disrupt these ecosystems, affecting other wildlife and threatening global food security. A reduction in crop yields can result in food shortages and increased vulnerability to food-related crises.
Food Waste and Loss
The world produces more than enough food to feed everyone, yet 828 million people still go to bed hungry each night. In high-income countries, 40% of food is wasted because people buy more food than they can consume. In low-income countries, where the vast majority of the world's hungriest people live, most food loss occurs during the early stages of growth, harvest, and storage. The UN World Food Programme is working to eliminate food loss and waste through various initiatives including providing farmers with modern storage equipment, offering long-lasting foods properly packaged in sturdy containers, and investing in innovations like hydroponics.
Malnutrition and Its Consequences
Malnutrition is a complex issue that manifests in three forms: undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and excess weight/obesity. Almost 3 billion people worldwide are affected by food insecurity in these various forms. The first group suffers from undernutrition due to insufficient food, variety, or nutrition, leading to wasting, stunting, and being underweight. The second group, comprising about 2 billion people, has access to food but lacks essential vitamins and minerals. The third group, approximately 1.9 billion adults and 41 million children under 5, is overweight or obese due to consuming the wrong kinds of food combined with insufficient exercise.
COVID-19 Pandemic: A Setback for Global Food Security
The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically exacerbated global food insecurity, reversing years of progress toward achieving zero hunger. The pandemic has caused a health crisis that has seriously impacted human lives and the world economy, with uncertain timeframes for recovery. Before the pandemic, the absolute number of people suffering from hunger had already begun to increase again in 2014, with 690 million people undernourished globally. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused millions of new undernourished people, with estimates ranging from 41.4 million to 97.5 million new undernourished people in 2020 alone, depending on the calculation method used.
The negative impacts of the pandemic have been exacerbated in Africa by hunger, poor healthcare, poor educational systems, poverty, and lack of potable water and sanitation. Economic stagnation caused by COVID-19 has pushed an estimated 420-580 million people into poverty, causing global poverty to increase for the first time since 1990. The pandemic has pushed more populations below the poverty line, threatening the targets of SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
The pandemic's impact on food security operates through multiple channels. On the supply side, trade restrictions, restraining measures on movement, and labor shortages have caused decreased food availability and access. On the demand side, economic recession and resulting job and income losses have affected income distribution, people's purchasing power, and consequently, their economic access to food. The effects on food prices have been mixed, with some increases at retail and local levels, but also periods of decreasing demand reflected in dropping commodity prices.
The Role of the World Food Programme
The World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger and promoting food security. In 2019, it assisted 97 million people in 88 countries who were victims of acute food insecurity and hunger. The WFP's operations focus on emergency assistance, relief and rehabilitation, development aid, and special operations. Two-thirds of their work is in conflict-affected countries where people are three times more likely to be undernourished than those living in countries without conflict.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the WFP demonstrated an impressive ability to intensify its efforts. As the organization itself stated, "Until the day we have a medical vaccine, food is the best vaccine against chaos". The WFP is the world's first responder on the frontlines of food insecurity, as acknowledged by UN Secretary-General António Guterres. In conflict zones, the WFP provides food and cash assistance, keeps children in school with school meals, and rebuilds infrastructure through community projects.
The WFP plays a vital role in breaking the cycle of conflict and hunger by:
Ensuring people in conflict-affected areas will not have food weaponized against them
Anticipating, responding to, and building resilience against climate shocks and stresses
Leveraging social safety nets, cash assistance, and infrastructure to financially empower communities and local markets
Connecting small-scale farmers with tools for sustainable agriculture
Making sure food does not go to waste due to improper management or redistribution
Protecting vulnerable groups by supplying specialized nutritious foods
The Connection Between Peace and Zero Hunger
In 2020, the United Nations World Food Programme received the Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas, and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict. The Norwegian Nobel Committee emphasized that providing assistance to increase food security not only prevents hunger but can also improve prospects for stability and peace.
The link between hunger and armed conflict is recognized as a vicious circle: war and conflict can cause food insecurity and hunger, just as hunger and food insecurity can cause latent conflicts to flare up and trigger violence. The Committee highlighted how the WFP has prevented "the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict" on the ground, and was a leading advocate for 2018 UN Security Council Resolution 2417, which condemns the use of starvation as a method of warfare.
Where there is conflict, there is hunger, and where there is hunger, there is often conflict. This understanding demonstrates that food security, peace, and stability go together. Without peace, we cannot achieve the global goal of zero hunger; and while there is hunger, we will never have a peaceful world. Zero hunger cannot be achieved without stability, which is why the World Food Programme plays a key role in building pathways to peace.
Bee Population Collapse: A Threat to Food Security
Bees play a vital role in our ecosystem, pollinating crops that provide us with fruits, vegetables, and nuts. They are essential contributors to the global economy, yet a mysterious and alarming phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is threatening their populations. CCD is characterized by the sudden and widespread disappearance of worker bees from a beehive, leaving behind a queen, some brood, and a few adult bees. This disorder was first recognized in the United States in the mid-2000s and has since been reported globally.
The exact causes of CCD are not fully understood, but likely involve a combination of factors. Pesticides, particularly neonicotinoids, have been a significant concern as they can impair bees' ability to navigate, forage, and communicate. Varroa mites are another well-known threat to bee colonies, as they attach to bees and feed on their bodily fluids, weakening them and transmitting diseases. Modern agriculture has led to the loss of diverse foraging grounds, limiting the availability of various nectar and pollen sources and potentially leading to malnutrition in bee colonies. Climate change and extreme weather events can disrupt bee foraging and breeding, while urbanization and habitat destruction reduce available foraging areas.
The consequences of CCD are far-reaching and extend beyond the world of beekeeping. Bees are responsible for pollinating a significant portion of the world's crops, and their decline can result in reduced crop yields and increased food prices. Pollinators, primarily bees, contribute to the production of a significant portion of the world's fruits, vegetables, nuts, and oilseeds. Crops like apples, almonds, and coffee depend heavily on pollination.
Innovative Measures to Increase Agricultural Production Using Less Land
To meet the growing demand for food while addressing environmental challenges, innovative agricultural approaches are being developed and implemented. Food production must be more efficient and sustainable without compromising food quality, according to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Reducing the yield gap—the difference between potential and actual crop yields—is one strategy for increasing production. Smarter use of fertilizers, water, and better seeds can lead to higher production.
Wageningen University and Research has found that the application of a food systems approach can massively transform agriculture and food systems. This approach records the various elements in a food system and their mutual relationships, considering all activities related to production, processing, distribution, and the use of food on one hand, and examining the outcomes of these activities on the other. The food systems approach provides scientific insights and practical knowledge that can be applied in various situations.
Innovations in agriculture include precision farming technologies that allow plants or animals to receive precisely the treatment they need. These technologies help optimize resource use and increase productivity. Vertical farming, a system of food production in controlled indoor environments, allows for factory-style precision agriculture that can reduce land usage. Hydroponics, aeroponics, or aquaponics systems enable plants to grow without soil, using nutrient-rich water instead.
The Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies of the European Green Deal aim to make food systems fair, healthy, and environmentally-friendly. Access to innovations in research and development, including new plant breeding techniques, is crucial to help reduce or overcome the negative impacts of reducing pesticides and nutrients. Removing legislative barriers to new breeding techniques could significantly shorten the breeding process and contribute to making crop production more sustainable.
The Netherlands' Contributions to Agricultural Innovation
The Netherlands is a global leader in efficient and sustainable agriculture and the second-largest exporter of agricultural goods in the world. The country is pioneering the shift towards agricultural technology development, with companies at the frontier of food and agriculture developing new technologies. The Dutch commitment to food security contributes to greater nutrient intake, productivity and market access, and better management of natural resources.
The Netherlands Food Partnership (NFP) supports numerous initiatives that contribute to achieving Zero Hunger by 2030. SeedNL is one such initiative that enables powerful collaboration between Dutch organizations and international partners to strengthen the seed sector in developing countries, provide appropriate access to quality seeds for all farmers, and increase productivity and farmer income. The Netherlands and CGIAR (Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research) are cooperating through a Strategic Partnership to contribute to the transformation of food, land, and water systems around the world by advancing knowledge generation and mobilizing joint public and private innovations.
The Netherlands also focuses on saline agriculture, as they have a solid position in the field of salinity with a focus on growing salt-tolerant crops and linkages with irrigation and drainage. Their integral and systems approach in tackling the mitigation and adaptation of salinity issues helps to address this significant challenge to agricultural production. Additionally, the country is investing in digitalizing smallholder agriculture, which can be a game-changer in supporting and accelerating agricultural transformation across low-and middle-income countries.
Wageningen University and Research: Leading Initiatives for Zero Hunger
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) is at the forefront of efforts to achieve Zero Hunger through innovative research and practical applications. The 'Food Security & Valuing Water' research programme at WUR contributes to achieving zero hunger worldwide by combining knowledge from the agrifood and water domains. This programme gives scientific insights and practical knowledge for applying the food systems approach in various situations, which can then be used in studies for companies, banks, governments, and non-governmental organizations.
WUR's research extends to challenging environments like delta regions, which are especially vulnerable due to rising sea levels, salinization, soil subsidence, flooding, and periods of drought. The 'Deltas Under Pressure' sub-project focuses on Bangladesh and the Mekong delta in Vietnam, mapping the bottlenecks in the food systems of both deltas in detail. WUR acknowledges that there is no single super-solution for all problems and works to ensure that measures which solve one problem do not exacerbate another.
The university also explores innovative food production methods, such as sustainable food production from the ocean through the 'Aquatic Systems' sub-project. This research focuses on the production of seaweed, which doesn't use scarce land or require fertilization, making it an interesting crop for farmers. Seaweed is very healthy for people and animals alike and has the potential to make a significant contribution to food security.
WUR is developing nature-based solutions to make food systems more resilient against climate change and more circular at the same time. These solutions use the power of nature or are inspired by nature, such as crop diversification to make food systems more resilient. The university is also studying the efficient use of water—both waste and rainwater—to address increasing freshwater shortages resulting from climate-related risks like drought and salinization.
The Path Forward: Strategies for Achieving Zero Hunger
To feed the growing global population sustainably, transformative changes in food systems are needed. By 2050, 10 billion people will need access to healthy and nutritious food, requiring food production processes that are much more sustainable to minimize climate change and environmental damage. This will necessitate changes in both consumption behavior and means of food production.
A larger proportion of diets should become plant-based, and food waste must be minimized. Food production should concentrate on different crops—fewer grains and sugar beet, and more beans, chickpeas, lentils, vegetables, and fruit. The number of pigs and cows kept for meat production should be reduced, and the production of livestock feed should not interfere with the production of crops for human consumption. Waste streams can be used for fodder, and livestock can be grazed in less productive areas.
The basic principle of food production is to feed the world's population with adequate, healthy, and sustainably produced food. This means diets that contain less processed red meat, much less sugar, and more vegetables. Food waste should be handled more efficiently, using it as fertilizer or feed for livestock, which will result in less competition between crop production for livestock feed and human consumption.
To achieve Zero Hunger by 2030, several strategies have been identified:
Reducing food waste and food loss
Improving infrastructure
Promoting fair trading practices
Paying attention to diversification
Reducing the yield gap
Combating climate change
Addressing the indirect causes of food insecurity
Unless action is taken now, millions of people have the potential to fall into deeper levels of hunger. We can respond to this global emergency by addressing hunger at its root causes. We all have an obligation to build a future that better serves our planet and all the people that live on it. Through collaborative efforts involving governments, research institutions, private sectors, and civil society, the goal of Zero Hunger can be achieved.
