The UN Food Systems Summit, held during the UN General Assembly in New York on September 23, set the stage for global food systems transformation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation has now published the first report of a three year project to create a Global Roadmap on how to achieve SDG2 – Zero Hunger – without breaching the 1.5C threshold.

In 2022, 738.9 million people faced hunger, 2.4 billion in 2022 were moderately or severely food insecure, and over 3.1 billion lacked access to healthy diets. The pandemic added 120 million to the chronically undernourished. By 2030, an estimated 590.3 million will suffer hunger. Progress toward global nutrition targets is uneven.

The planet faces crises, exceeding safe limits in six of nine planetary boundaries, majorly tied to agrifood systems. These systems contribute 30% of anthropogenic GHG emissions, impeding climate goals. Despite the Paris Agreement’s aims, warming rates suggest a gap in meeting targets. Agrifood systems face a dilemma: producing more now to address
immediate needs, while endangering future food security and nutrition – or curb production to reduce emissions. This perceived trade-off has led to inaction and emboldens climate action skeptics.

However, the growing urgency demands action and a change in narratives. Providing healthy food for all, today and tomorrow, is crucial; as is aligning agrifood systems transformation with climate actions. Agrifood systems should
address food security and nutrition needs, but they host a large number of actions aligned with mitigation, adaptation and resilience objectives. Simultaneously, the climate agenda could mobilize climate finance to unlock the potential of these systems and drive their transformation.

See more details here or download a 42 page “briefing” here.