3.5 trillion USD is lost to the global economy every year because of malnutrition. To put that figure in perspective, we are talking about 3.5 percent of world GDP¹. CERES 2030 estimate that it costs only a small percentage of these losses – approximately 33 billion dollars every year – to eradicate extreme hunger.   

Extreme hunger and malnutrition are not the same thing, but these statistics show huge discrepancies between the costs of doing nothing and what can happen if we act. 

Prior to the pandemic, estimations by the World Health Organization for preventing and responding to malnutrition were placed at 7 billion per year². COVID-19 has added to the costs of preventing and responding to global malnutrition, with an additional 1.7 billion likely to be required (For more on these projects visit Standing Together 4 Nutrition Consortium). 

Micronutrient interventions are some of the best buys in global development. The Copenhagen Consensus finds that micronutrient interventions such as fortifying staple foods with vitamins and minerals and giving children micronutrient supplements have a rate of return of up to 1.16 USD³.  

Malnutrition is both widespread and costly. 613 million women – one-third of all women of reproductive age are anemic⁴, which is a serious health challenge and causes fatigue, lower resistance to disease, and lower cognitive ability. The World Bank Investment Framework shows a 12 dollar return on every dollar invested in anemia reduction⁵. COVID-19 is adding to the challenge and is expected to cause an additional 4.8 million women to be anemic every year, as per ST4N estimates. 

At the Micronutrient Forum, we advocate for greater investment in proven, cost-effective interventions to eradicate global micronutrient deficiency.