The Global Nutrition Report 2020, a comprehensive review of the state of the world’s nutrition, raises attention to the crucial role that local and diverse food systems play in tackling malnutrition, increasing economic strength, and building climate resilience. The report illuminates how these systems, consisting of different elements such as environment, people, processes, infrastructures and institutions, can be transformed to achieve not only food security but also numerous socio-economic and environmental outcomes.
The Structure and Functionality of Food Systems
A food system can be defined as a complex network of players engaged in activities such as production, processing, distribution, preparation, and consumption of food. It involves much more than just food; it incorporates people, environments, inputs, processes, infrastructures, institutions, and outputs. All these elements interact to form a dynamic system which determines what the global population eats, and how their choices impact the social, economic and environmental realms.
Addressing Malnutrition through Food System Adjustments
One of the key proposals in the report to mitigate malnutrition is to divert the focus from staple crops like wheat and rice towards non-staples like vegetables, fruits, fish, nuts, and others. Incentivising producers to grow nutritious and diverse foods will not only aid in reducing malnutrition but will also make such foods more accessible to the rural poor. To bolster the reach and intake of these nutrient-rich crops, public food distribution schemes need to be amplified, and awareness about the health benefits of these foods needs to be disseminated widely.
The Impact of Child Malnutrition on Sustainable Development Goals
Child malnutrition poses a serious risk factor for India, potentially inhibiting the country from achieving its child mortality related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as the SDG 2: Zero Hunger. A shift in the national food system towards the production of more nutritious and diverse foods can play a significant role in reducing child malnutrition, thus directly contributing to the achievement of these global goals.
The Role of Small Farm Holders in Improving Food Systems
Small farm holders, who often lack access to large value chains, have a crucial role to play in strengthening food systems. By providing them with incentives and support to transition towards growing a variety of crops, they can contribute to improving local value chains, which in turn can lead to income enhancement and economic development.
Food Systems and Climate Change: An Interconnected Challenge
One of the report’s recommendations for mitigating climate change is to gradually shift from long supermarket-driven value chains to smaller, localized value chains that have lesser carbon footprints. In addition, promoting the cultivation and consumption of climate-resilient and less water-intensive crops can serve as an effective countermeasure against the escalating climate crisis.
The Global Nutrition Report 2020 emphasizes that transforming our current food systems into more inclusive, local, and diverse structures is integral to addressing food security, malnutrition, and achieving climate resilience. It is clear that our future food security and environmental sustainability depend largely on how effectively we can reimagine our food systems.
