Nutrition Year of Action
Today, in 2021, we are in the second half of the race to tackle hunger and malnutrition. In December 2020, the Governments of Canada and Bangladesh, in partnership with the Government of Japan, hosted a virtual launch of the Nutrition Year of Action.
The world is experiencing a protracted and worsening global hunger crisis. Close to 12 percent of the global population was severely food insecure in 2020 – representing 928 million people. This figure is rising.
The pace and direction the U.N. Year of Action will take depends on how well we work together to commit new funds, global partnerships, innovations, and effective policies to end malnutrition.
As Oxfam projects, more people are likely to die from hunger than from COVID-19. At the same time, overseas development assistance (ODA) to nutrition is projected to take a sharp decline.
The good news is that we know what works. Micronutrient interventions are one of the most cost–effective development investments – with a return of up to 1.35 USD.
Ref: Ceres2030 Sustainable Solutions to End Hunger Report.
The U.N. Year of Action shines a spotlight on the urgent need for bold SMART investment in proven, cost-effective nutrition interventions.
There are two major milestones for nutrition that provide commitment–making opportunities:
The U.N. Food Systems Summit: 26th -28th September
Tokyo’s Nutrition For Growth Summit: 7th – 8th December
As part of the Year of Action, The Micronutrient Forum is:
- Elevating issues surrounding women and maternal nutrition within the UN Food Systems Summit and Tokyo’s Nutrition for Growth
- Convening and supporting advocates, implementing agencies and potential commitment- makers for Tokyo’s Nutrition for Growth Summit
- Supporting global partners with research from Standing Together Consortium on the impact of the pandemic on malnutrition, on projected ODA shortfalls, and on future economic productivity losses accrued by malnutrition.
- Supporting global advocates to ensure that child wasting and women’s anemia are Tier One indicators in IDA 20 Replenishment funds, under the Human Capital Pillar.
- In addition, Saskia Osendarp (MNF’s Exec Director) is on the Global Nutrition Report (GNR) Expert Panel. The GNR oversees the world’s first global Nutrition Accountability Framework and provides country reports on progress against nutrition targets.
Helpful Resources
