Transforming food systems
Through every aspect of our work, IFAD is transforming food systems to make them effective and sustainable
Nutrition - IFAD
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Nutrition
3.1 billion
people cannot afford a healthy diet
people cannot afford a healthy diet
148.1 million
children under five are stunted
children under five are stunted
2.1 million
people improved their nutrition with IFAD's support (2019-2021)
people improved their nutrition with IFAD's support (2019-2021)
©IFAD/Ueslei Marcelino
An investment in agriculture is an investment in nutrition. Farming shapes sustainable food systems that nourish rural people and break cycles of poverty.
Context
Every nation in the world is grappling with malnutrition. Even rich countries are increasingly confronting hunger, underweight, micronutrient deficiencies, overweight and obesity.
Over 3 billion people worldwide have poor-quality diets. Ironically, food and nutrition insecurity disproportionately affects the rural people we rely on to produce the food we eat.
Malnutrition casts a shadow over the entire life course. Globally, undernutrition is the main cause of child mortality.
Children who experience chronic malnutrition during the crucial first 1,000 days from conception risk irreversible damage to their physical and cognitive development. Lack of affordable, nutritious food prevents people from realizing their full potential in education or employment, and perpetuates generational poverty.
In recent years, economic slowdown, conflict, climate shocks, widening socioeconomic disparities and a global pandemic have impeded growth. This has made it harder for low- and middle-income countries to invest in achieving the SDGs, including zero hunger.
Hunger is often a man-made problem. It is deeply entrenched in the structural deficiencies and inequalities of food systems. These, in turn, have been exacerbated by chronic underinvestment in sustainable agriculture and rural development.
Opportunities
Agriculture is the cornerstone of our efforts to combat malnutrition and ensure food and nutrition security. We can enhance the availability and affordability of nutritious foods, particularly for those most vulnerable, by investing in agriculture.
While food is our most basic need, investing in nutrition through agriculture is also sound development policy and good economics. This requires a multisector approach tailored to the realities of small-scale producers and rural food systems.
Agriculture shapes our diets and food systems. Farming practices can promote diverse and nutritious crops which help address dietary deficiencies. Supporting small-scale producers, who often find it hard to access resources and markets, can strengthen local food systems.
Investing in nutrition through agriculture helps to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty. The positive impacts go beyond health to encompass education, gender equality, resilience and environmental sustainability. By promoting sustainable agricultural practices and healthy eating habits, we can create resilient food systems that can withstand challenges.
What IFAD does
IFAD invests in nutrition-sensitive agriculture and food systems. We integrate nutrition into our agricultural development projects and promote the production and consumption of diverse nutritious foods.
We provide resources that support capacity building and market opportunities for small-scale producers, particularly women, youth and Indigenous Peoples. This improves their income, food security, nutrition and resilience to shocks.
Environmental degradation can exacerbate malnutrition. We promote sustainable practices that safeguard ecosystems, enhance crop diversity and build resilient food systems. This, in turn, improves dietary diversity and combats malnutrition.
Neglected and underutilized species have many nutritional, economic, cultural, social and environmental benefits. We work with Indigenous Peoples and small-scale producers to support their innovations and explore how policies can promote their self-driven development. For example, IFAD-supported research led to minor millets being included in India’s subsistence programmes.
Together with the communities we serve, we develop nutrition interventions and measure their impact. For example, thanks to irrigation, farmers in Ethiopia could grow nutritious and marketable foods, like tomatoes, avocados and orange-fleshed sweet potatoes.
By investing in nutrition education and behaviour change communication, we support raising awareness about healthy eating habits. These are tailored to local cultures and ecological contexts. In Northern Laos, IFAD-funded projects supported families to grow diverse foods. Through nutrition education programmes, families started feeding their children leafy vegetables. By the end of the project, the proportion of young children receiving a minimum acceptable diet had more than tripled.
Working with governments and civil society organizations, we advocate for policies and investments that prioritize nutrition-sensitive agriculture and food security. IFAD is an active member of UN-Nutrition, through which United Nations agencies coordinate their work on nutrition.
Experts
Nomindelger Bayasgalanbat
Senior Technical Specialist - Nutrition
[email protected]Solange Heise
Senior Technical Specialist
[email protected]