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Book (stand-alone)Regional Overview of Food Insecurity Asia and the Pacific 2016
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No results found.The year 2015 marked the end of the global Millennium Development agenda and 2016 heralds a transition to the new 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development. Asia-Pacific Region not only met the MDG target of halving the proportion of people suffering from hunger, but was also the region with the largest reduction in the number of undernourished people in the world. Despite good progress being made by many countries in tackling malnutrition, the overall rate of progress is less than desired and the re are several countries and sub-regions where the prevalence rates are still very high. The analysis presented in this report will help encourage dialogue and shape a new public narrative towards eradicating hunger and malnutrition and creating a transformative change for sustainable development.Most governments are taking concrete actions to address the problem and there is a clear recognition of strengthening agriculture and food systems in a manner that brings more affordable, hea lthier and diverse food options within everyone’s reach.
This report also introduces a special section which will focus on a different selected key issue or trend affecting food security and nutrition in the region each year. This year, the focus is on the importance of milk and smallholder dairy in view of the remarkable growth in the production and consumption of milk and milk products in the region. The section concludes that the promotion of milk consumption and small-scale dairying offe rs potential for triple wins in nutrition, rural livelihoods and the environment.See the other Regional Overviews:
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Book (series)2018 Asia and the Pacific Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition
Accelerating progress towards the SDGs
2018Also available in:
No results found.During the last three years, progress at reducing undernourishment has slowed tremendously in Asia and the Pacific. After years of gains in combatting hunger, progress has stagnated in all parts of this vast region. Despite decades of economic growth, nearly half a billion people remain undernourished. Children, in particular, continue to face the burden of malnutrition – this region is home to more than half of the world’s malnourished children – with one child in every four below the age of five suffering from stunting. This is a colossal human loss, given the association between undernutrition and poor cognitive development, with severe lifelong consequences for these children. At the same time, and almost paradoxically, Asia and the Pacific has witnessed rapid growth in the number of overweight children and the serious consequences that entails for their future health and well-being. This double burden of malnutrition sees undernourished and overweight children living in the same communities and households and it can even occur within the same child. Efforts to fight hunger and malnutrition must go hand in hand with those to build and sustain peace and there is an urgent need to accelerate and scale up actions that strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity of people and their livelihoods to climate variability and extremes. As migration from rural to urban areas continues apace, particularly involving poorer families, urban malnutrition is another challenge facing many countries. In summary, what is becoming increasingly clear is that the world cannot meet the 2030 target of zero hunger if Asia and the Pacific – the world’s most populous region – is not leading the way. It is a hard reality but one that must be faced with a united determination to turn things around. For the first time, four UN agencies have come together to jointly assess the state of food security and nutrition in Asia and the Pacific. Together, we hope that the findings of this report will contribute to a more informed dialogue. Without doubt, all stakeholders must make much greater efforts to accelerate progress toward the goals of a healthy and hunger-free Asia and the Pacific. Action is needed now. The sense of urgency cannot be overstated. -
Book (series)Food system strategies for preventing micronutrient malnutrition
ESA Working Paper 13-06
2013Also available in:
No results found.Micronutrients are defined as substances in foods that are essential for human health and are required in small amounts. They include all of the known vitamins and essential trace minerals. Micronutrient malnutrition affects a third to a half of the global population. It causes untold human suffering and levies huge costs on society in terms of unrealized human potential and lost economic productivity. The goal of this paper is to identify deficiencies in the food system that lead to micronutrient malnutrition and explore and evaluate strategies for its prevention. We examine the impact of agricultural practices on micronutrients in the food supply, including cropping systems, soil fertility and animal agriculture. We then discuss the potential of biofortification –i.e. increasing the concentration of micronutrients in staple food crops through conventional plant breeding or genetic engineering– as a means to reduce micronutrient deficiency. In addition, we discuss the impact of food losses and food waste on micronutrients in the food supply, and we explore successful strategies to preserve micronutrients from farm to plate, including food fortification. Our review of the literature sheds light on the advantages and limitations of alternative interventions to reduce micronutrient deficiencies along the supply chain. We end with recommendations for actions that will reduce the prevalence of micronutrient malnutrition.
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