Sustainable Development Goal 2, often abbreviated as SDG 2 has a pretty ambitious aim: zero hunger. In simple terms, it's all about creating a world where nobody goes to bed hungry. Inspired by the success of MDG 1 (which managed to halve global hunger), SDG 2 is here to take it up a notch.
But here's the reality check – since 2015, food security has been on a rollercoaster ride. We can blame it on the pandemic, climate change, and global inequalities. This alarming trend poses a serious threat to humanity. Hunger and malnutrition aren't just bad in themselves; they also make people more susceptible to diseases and less productive.
Here are some numbers to think about In 2019, 7.9% of the world's population suffered from chronic hunger. Fast forward to 2021, and that number jumped to 9.2%, which translates to a staggering 735 million people. That's not all; an additional 2.4 billion people are grappling with moderate to severe hunger worldwide. That's an increase of 319 million since 2019.
Now, let's get into the nitty-gritty of SDG 2. Out of a whopping 169 targets, there are 8 specific ones dedicated to ending hunger.
1. To end hunger and provide year-round access to nutrition for the poor, vulnerable, and infants by 2030.
2. End malnutrition by 2030 and eliminate stunting and wasting (when height and weight are less than (-2) standard deviations) by 2025.
3. To double agricultural productivity and the income of small producers by 2030.
4. Ensure sustainable and resilient agriculture by 2030 to withstand climate change, and extreme weather events, and improve soil and land quality.
5. Maintain the diversity of seeds worldwide by 2020.
6. Increase investment in rural infrastructure, agricultural research and technology, and livestock to enhance agricultural productivity.
7. Correct and prevent trade restrictions to reduce distortions in global agricultural productivity.
8. Implement measures to ensure the proper functioning of the food commodity market.
Now, here's the catch – progress on this front isn't looking so great. 20% of the world lacks data, 50% are stuck or even going backwards, 15% have met the targets, and another 15% are making progress but need to step on the gas.
If we continue on this path, by 2030, a whopping 600 million people will still be struggling with hunger. To make matters worse, food prices are at an all-time high compared to 2015-2019. On average, countries with abnormal food prices saw a rise from 6.4% in 2015-2019 to a hefty 8.4% in 2021. For moderately high prices, the average spiked from 8.8% to 13.1%.
So, where does this leave us in 2023? It's a bit of a mixed bag. The resumption of economic activity has improved access to food, but inflation and skyrocketing food prices are offsetting income gains and making it harder for people to get the food they need.
Even though there was a record-high public investment in agriculture, hitting a whopping $700 billion, the average government investment worldwide has actually dropped from 0.50 to 0.41 since 2015. Some places have it even worse. To top it off, aid in agriculture increased by a respectable 14.6% during 2015-2019 but took a nosedive of 15% in 2021, essentially bringing us back to square one.
So, there you have it – a deep dive into SDG 2, the goal to end hunger by 2030. It's a lofty ambition with some significant roadblocks along the way. But with awareness and concerted efforts, there's still hope that we can achieve a world free of hunger.
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