The Challenge: Hunger can be eliminated in our lifetimes
The Zero Hunger Challenge: Transforming our Food Systems to Transform our World
The Zero Hunger Challenge was launched by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2012. The Zero Hunger vision reflects five elements from within the SDGs, which taken together, can end hunger, eliminate all forms of malnutrition, and build inclusive and sustainable food systems.
All Food Systems are Sustainable: From Production to Consumption
An End to Rural Poverty: Double Small-scale Producer Incomes & Productivity
Adapt All Food Systems to Eliminate Loss or Waste of Food
Access Adequate Food and Healthy Diets, for all People, all Year Round
An End to Malnutrition in all its forms
The ZHC has contributed to a changed narrative. It has inspired action at country level and contributed to ensuring that food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture have remained high on the global development agenda. It has encouraged all to work together towards ending hunger.
Within the 2030 Agenda, it is now the time to renew the call to action for zero hunger and malnutrition, and for the deep transformations required on agriculture and food systems to build an inclusive, safe, sustainable and resilient society. The ZHC provides a platform that brings together governments, civil society, the private sector, the United Nations system and others for collective impact in the area of food security, nutrition and sustainable food systems.
Ending hunger and delivering on the 2030 Agenda
Governments will lead implementation of the 2030 Agenda, including efforts to end hunger and create sustainable food systems. The five elements of the ZHC, if integrated into nationally-led SDG implementation strategies, can end hunger and pay dividends right across a broad range of SDGs. Each element is aligned with the 2030 Agenda and will deliver outcomes across a range of the agenda’s goals and targets.
All Food Systems are Sustainable: From Production to Consumption
Sustainable food systems deliver food security and nutrition for all in such a way that the economic, social and environmental bases to generate food security and nutrition for future generations are not compromised. The effects of climate change will require sustainable and climate-compatible agriculture practices.
An End to Rural Poverty: Double Small-scale Producer Incomes & Productivity
Ending rural poverty will require a determined effort to increase the income of the small-scale producers. Small-scale producers also hold the key to sustainably feeding a growing global population. This will involve improving people’s wellbeing through sustainable livelihoods: increasing smallholders’ income and productivity and decent rural employment.
Adapt All Food Systems to Eliminate Loss or Waste of Food
Minimizing food losses during production, storage and transport, and waste of food by retailers and consumers; empowering consumer choice; commitments by producers, retailers and consumers within all nations.
Access Adequate Food and Healthy Diets, for all People, all Year Round
Addressing poverty and inequality and building peoples’ resilience to shocks and stresses. Access to food that forms the basis of healthy and diverse diets is intricately linked to both rights – particularly equity and women’s rights – and resilience.
An End to Malnutrition in all its forms
Malnutrition is both a driver and an outcome of poverty and inequality. Undernutrition leading to stunting causes irreversible damage to both individuals and society. Obesity in childhood is a growing problem in all regions. Ensuring universal access to nutritious food in the 1000-day window of opportunity between the start of pregnancy and a child’s second birthday is essential to tackling stunting. This should be supported by a multi-sectoral approach which includes nutrition-sensitive health care, water, sanitation, education, agriculture, social protection and specific nutrition interventions, coupled with initiatives that enable empowerment of women.
For more information, Download the Zero Hunger Challenge booklet: “Pathways to Zero Hunger”