What is broken in our Global Food System?

Broken system

“Global food systems are broken – and billions of people are paying the price.”

According to UN estimates, over 780 million people experience hunger, almost one-third of all food produced globally is lost or wasted and nearly three billion people cannot afford healthy diets.

Developing countries face additional challenges, as limited resources and debt burdens prevent them from investing fully in food systems which can produce to nutritious food across the social spectrum.  

Unsustainable food production, packaging and consumption are also contributing to the climate crisis, accounting for a third of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, 70 per cent of the world’s freshwater usage, and driving biodiversity loss.

Grain deal collapse hits vulnerable

The recent termination of the Black Sea Initiative by Russia has further exacerbated the situation, Mr. Guterres said.

It enabled the export of millions of metric tons of food from Ukrainian ports, and together with the UN’s parallel accord with Russia on export of food and fertilizer, had been vital for global food security and price stability.

“With the termination of the Black Sea Initiative, the most vulnerable will pay the highest price,” he added, emphasizing that both Russia and Ukraine are crucial to global food security, urging Moscow to reverse course.

The UN chief said he remains committed to enabling unimpeded access to global markets for food and fertilizers from both countries, “and to deliver the food security that every person deserves.”

Three key areas for action

In his address, the UN chief cited three key areas for action, starting with “massive” investment in sustainable food systems.

Those were some of the takeaways from a high-level special event held on the sidelines of the UN Food Systems Summit +2 Stocktaking Moment on Africa’s food sovereignty and resilience, organized by the Interdepartmental Task Force on African Affairs (IDTFAA).

Representatives from governments, the UN, the African Union and others, exchanged views on how to seize momentum for the Africa-led transformation of agrifood systems – the entire food production industry from farm to fork – to make them more efficient, more inclusive and more resilient.

The FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu, praised Africa’s strengths underpinned by its human and natural resources, adding that to unleash its full potential, the continent needs game-changing action. 

He said investing in social development – in particular youth, women and smallholder farmers – was a key priority. 

He also highlighted the need for a shift towards digital agriculture in the continent, noting that FAO has launched the 1000 Digital Village Initiative.

Mohammed stressed sustainability

Speaking at the event, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed discussed sustainable investments to build food sovereignty in Africa and the need for strengthening domestic resources, investing in climate action, and fixing the global financial architecture. 

The deputy UN chief also delivered remarks to an event headlined, Healthy and Protected Oceans, underscoring the urgency of defending marine environments and coastal ecosystems.

“Pollution, overfishing, over-exploitation, acidification and the impacts of climate change and increasing sea surface temperatures disrupt the ocean’s vital functions, imperil biodiversity, and deplete its resources that are vital for people and planet alike.”

She said the challenges facing the ocean combined with economic and environmental burdens within small island nations, representing an “immediate threat”.

Inflation trap

“For vulnerable people, the effects are all too immediate. For example, between June and September 2022, nearly 94 percent of small island developing states faced food inflation levels above five percent, with many experiencing inflation in the double digits.”

She stressed that was simply putting nutritious food out of reach, impacting children, women and those below the poverty line most of all.

“Together, let us recognize the urgency of protecting our oceans and coastal ecosystems, safeguarding the future of food systems in small island developing states, and forging a path towards a more sustainable and equitable world that benefits all people.”

“Starving food systems of investment means, quite literally, starving people,” he said, calling on governments to respond to UN’s call for an SDG Stimulus, amounting to at least $500 billion annually to support long-term financing for all countries in need.

Second, Mr. Guterres called on governments and businesses to collaborate and “put people over profit” in building food systems.  

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This involves exploring new ways to increase the availability of fresh, healthy food for all individuals, keeping food markets open, and removing trade barriers and export restrictions, he said.  

Environmental sustainability

With food systems playing a key role in reducing carbon emissions and limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the Secretary-General called for food systems that reduce the carbon footprint of food processing, packaging, and transportation.  

Harnessing new technologies to reduce the unsustainable use of land, water, and other resources in food production and agriculture is vital, he said, urging “stronger and faster action” to tackle the climate crisis and commit to reaching net-zero emissions by 2040 for developed countries and 2050 for emerging economies.  

Assessing progress  

Also speaking at the opening, Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), highlighted the importance of assessing progress in agrifood systems transformation towards reaching the 17 SDGs, agreed by all the world’s nations in 2015.

He noted the progress in identifying solutions agrifood systems can provide for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, including more sustainable farming, efficient water management, responsible packaging, reforestation and reduced food waste.

Mr. Qu added that these depended on transforming global agrifood systems to be more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable.

“In the face of increasing uncertainties and multiple crises, we need to urgently undertake this transformation to fulfil the high expectations we have from our agrifood systems,” he said.

The Summit

From 24 to 26 July, the UN Food Systems Summit +2 Stocktaking Moment will convene over 2,000 participants from over 160 countries to review progress on the commitments made at the first Food Systems Summit in 2021, and identify successes, as well as continuing bottlenecks while refocusing priorities.

It includes a series of high-level events, dialogues and side events related to transforming agrifood systems on topics such as food waste, climate change, healthy diets, partnerships, science and technology, indigenous people’s knowledge, and transportation.

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