Report: 2013 Global Food Policy Report
International Food Policy Research Institute
March 2014  154 pages

This is the third in an annual series that provides an in-depth look at major food policy developments and events. Initiated in response to resurgent interest in food and nutrition secu­rity, the series offers a yearly overview of the food policy developments that have contributed to or hin­dered progress in achieving food and nutrition security. It reviews what happened in food policy and why, examines key challenges and opportunities, shares new evidence and knowledge, and highlights emerg­ing issues.

In 2013, staple food prices were relatively stable, lacking the spikes that often dominated headlines in previous years. But prices of important dietary components, such as vegetables and fruits and nutrient-intensive crops, increased and fluctuated in many countries, particularly China and India. Nutrition captured the international spotlight in an unprecedented way. For instance, the high-level Nutrition for Growth summit in June resulted in commitments of US$4.15 billion to tackle global undernutrition, the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition and the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement both gained momentum, and India passed major food security legislation.

Yet the world continues to face serious hunger and undernutrition challenges: one in eight  people around the world suffers from hunger, and more than double that number are victims of hidden hunger (deficiencies in essential micronutrients). With the Millennium Development Goals set to conclude in 2015, the global community is already working to define future efforts to eradicate hunger and undernutri­tion under a post-2015 agenda.

The anchor of this new agenda is the formulation of sustainable development goals. Extending beyond traditional investments in increasing food production, this new agenda should embrace a comprehensive, long-term approach that promotes increased agricultural productivity for all farmers, links smallholder farmers’ production to markets, and ensures that their products are safe and nutritious. It is important that the post-2015 development agenda does not pursue environmental sustainability goals at the expense of the well-being of poor and hungry people. Based on the successful experiences of several developing coun­tries, we see the clear potential for ending hunger and undernutrition by 2025 if the necessary policies and investments are adopted. Among other things, reaching this goal will require a more inclusive global part­nership, one that includes regional and country levels and spans government, civil society, and the private sector. Eliminating hunger and undernutrition sustainably by 2025 will be challenging, but it is doable.