NUTRITION

Malnutrition. On December 3, in his opening address to the General Council of the Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO  Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva urged countries to urgently address all forms of malnutrition globally. The next international event to discuss the issue is the International Conference on Food Safety, to be held February 12-13, 2019 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This will be coordinated by FAO and the World Health Organization (WHO). It is hoped that jointly developed action plans on combating malnutrition will arise from this.  

Graziano said the coexistence of malnutrition, obesity and micronutrient deficiencies – known as the triple burden of malnutrition – is spreading worldwide. He stressed that the Zero Hunger Sustainable Development Goal (SDS) is not only about feeding the population but to do so in a healthy way.

According to FAO, more than 2 billion people worldwide suffer from micronutrient deficiencies. In addition, more than 670 million people are obese.

Next steps

The main event planned for early 2019 on food issues is the International Conference on Food Safety, 12-13 February 2019 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The event, organized by FAO and WHO, will bring together Ministers of Health and Agriculture, experts and representatives of producers and consumers. Participants will discuss strategies to promote fresh food production and reduce malnutrition.