1. Food insecurity has worsened in 2021, with anaemia among women and adult obesity increasing.
2. Healthy diets are unaffordable for almost 3.1 billion people around the world.
3. Repurposing food and agricultural policies is urgently needed to make healthy diets more affordable, sustainable, and inclusive.
The article provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of food insecurity and malnutrition globally, highlighting the challenges faced in achieving SDG Targets 2.1 and 2.2 by 2030. The report reveals that food insecurity has further deteriorated in 2021, with anaemia among women and adult obesity worsening, while exclusive breastfeeding among infants under six months of age and child stunting have shown some progress.
The article identifies several drivers of food insecurity and malnutrition, including conflict, climate extremes, economic shocks, and growing inequality. It also notes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on exacerbating existing inequalities and worsening the food security situation for populations already struggling to feed their families.
The article argues that to meet the targets of SDG 2 by 2030, agrifood systems must be transformed to deliver lower cost and safe nutritious foods that make healthy diets more affordable for all sustainably and inclusively. It suggests that healthy diets need to be more affordable relative to unhealthy diets, which can be achieved through repurposing policy support towards these objectives.
However, the article does not provide sufficient evidence or data to support its claims about the effectiveness of repurposing policy support or how it will contribute to making healthy diets more affordable for all sustainably and inclusively. It also fails to explore potential trade-offs triggered by repurposing food and agricultural support or consider alternative solutions.
Moreover, the article appears biased towards promoting public spending as a solution to transform agrifood systems without adequately considering private investment opportunities or addressing underlying structural issues such as corruption or inefficient governance.
Overall, while the article provides valuable insights into the challenges faced in achieving SDG Targets 2.1 and 2.2 by 2030, it lacks sufficient evidence-based analysis to support its claims about repurposing policy support as a solution for making healthy diets more affordable for all sustainably and inclusively.