《2023年世界粮食安全和营养状况》报告（英文版）-316页_11mb

Summary of The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2023

Core Content

This report, published by FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP, and WHO, explores the impact of urbanization and agrifood systems transformation on food security and nutrition across the rural-urban continuum. It highlights the challenges and opportunities that urbanization presents in ensuring access to affordable healthy diets and achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 2).

Key Themes

1. Global Food Security and Nutrition Trends

• Global hunger remains at levels far above pre-pandemic levels, with an estimated 690–783 million people facing hunger in 2022.
• Food insecurity is more prevalent among women and people in rural areas, and the cost of a healthy diet has increased globally, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
• In 2021, 3.1 billion people could not afford a healthy diet, a slight improvement from 2020 but still a significant issue.
• Child undernutrition (stunting and wasting) has shown some progress, but overweight and low birthweight remain unchanged.
• Stunting and wasting are more common in rural areas, while overweight is more prevalent in urban areas.

2. Urbanization and Agrifood Systems

• Urbanization is reshaping agrifood systems, influencing food production, processing, distribution, and consumption.
• The rural-urban continuum is a key lens for understanding these changes, which include food deserts and swamps, shifts in dietary patterns, and changes in food affordability.
• Rural households, even those far from urban centers, are increasingly involved in food purchasing and consumption of processed foods, which can affect nutritional outcomes.
• Urbanization is driving both challenges (e.g., rising food prices, unequal access) and opportunities (e.g., innovation, policy coordination) for food security and nutrition.

3. Cost and Affordability of a Healthy Diet

• The cost of a healthy diet varies significantly by region, subregion, and income group.
• In low-food-budget countries, the affordability gap is especially wide, with rural and peri-urban populations bearing the brunt of food insecurity.
• Highly processed foods are more common in high-income urban areas, while staple foods decline in value as income rises across the rural-urban continuum.
• Animal source foods and food away from home are more consumed in urban areas, often substituting staple foods.

4. Policy and Solutions

• The report emphasizes the need for integrated policies that address food security and nutrition across the rural-urban continuum.
• Technology and innovation are highlighted as key enablers for transforming agrifood systems, particularly in low-income settings.
• Governance mechanisms must be inclusive and well-coordinated at subnational levels, involving local governments, small and medium enterprises, and multi-stakeholder engagement.
• Public food procurement and multilevel institutional agreements are recommended to improve access to safe and nutritious foods.

Main Findings

• Urbanization is a major driver of agrifood systems transformation, affecting food availability, affordability, and consumption patterns.
• Food insecurity is not confined to rural areas; it is also worsening in urban and peri-urban regions, especially in Africa, Western Asia, and the Caribbean.
• Healthy diets are becoming more unequally accessible, with low-income populations struggling to afford them even in rural areas.
• Nutrition outcomes such as exclusive breastfeeding and stunting reduction show progress, but wasting and overweight remain challenges.
• SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) is still out of reach, with 600 million people projected to face hunger by 2030, despite some modest improvements.

Key Recommendations

• Leverage urbanization to transform agrifood systems through innovation, policy coordination, and inclusive governance.
• Improve affordability of healthy diets by addressing price volatility, inequalities, and supply chain inefficiencies.
• Integrate rural and urban policies to ensure comprehensive food security and nutrition strategies.
• Promote healthy diets in all areas of the rural-urban continuum, especially through public procurement, local food markets, and multi-stakeholder collaboration.

Conclusion

The report underscores the urgent need for action to address food insecurity and malnutrition in an urbanizing world. It calls for cross-sectoral and integrated approaches to transform agrifood systems and ensure equitable access to healthy diets. The findings highlight the complex interplay between urbanization, economic conditions, and nutrition outcomes, reinforcing the importance of policy innovation and governance at all levels to meet the 2030 global nutrition targets.

Annexes and Supporting Data

• Detailed statistical tables and methodological notes provide data on food security and nutrition indicators.
• Subnational data on diet affordability and food insecurity is available for selected African countries.
• Maps and case studies illustrate urbanization patterns and policy initiatives across the rural-urban continuum.

References and Citations

• The report is published by FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP, and WHO.
• Citation required: FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO. 2023. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2023.
• Creative Commons license: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.