The state of food security and nutrition in the world 2022

Overview

The challenges to ending hunger, food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition keep growing.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the fragilities in our food systems and the inequalities in our societies, driving further increases in world hunger and severe food insecurity. Despite progress in some regions, global trends in child malnutrition continue to be of great concern, including stunting and wasting, deficiencies in essential micronutrients, and overweight and obesity. Trends in maternal anaemia and obesity among adults especially also continue to be alarming.

This report shows that governments can invest in food systems equitably and sustainably, even with the same level of public resources. Governments’ support for food and agriculture accounts for almost USD 630 billion per year globally. However, a significant proportion of this support distorts market prices, is environmentally destructive, and hurts small-scale producers and Indigenous Peoples, while failing to deliver healthy diets to children and others who need them the most.

The evidence suggests that if governments repurpose the resources they are using to support producers and consumers, to incentivize the sustainable production, supply and consumption of nutritious foods, they will contribute to making healthy diets less costly and more affordable for all.

In all contexts, reforms to repurpose support to food and agriculture must also be accompanied by policies that promote shifts in consumer behaviours, along with safety net policies to mitigate the unintended consequences of reforms for vulnerable populations. Finally, these reforms must be multisectoral, encompassing health, environmental, transport and energy policies.