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| Action on Nutrition: The UN decade | | |
Dr. Parveen Kumar, Dr. Kunzang Lamo
Although the world has made rapid strides in augmenting agricultural production and ensuring food security for all, but the issue of ensuring a hunger free world and nutritional security for all is still a challenge for the humanity. This has been highlighted in various reports of global bodies. The 2021 report on food security and nutrition puts the number of hungry people in 2020 in the world in between 720 and 811 million. Of this number, Asia accounts for 418 million (More than half of world hunger population). Africa accounts for 282 million (One-third) and Latin America and the Caribbean for 60 million. The report further depicts that nearly 2.37 billion people did not have access to adequate food in 2020, an increase of 320 million people over 2019. The lack of adequate nutrition has been highlighted in the figures about stunting and wasting. About 149.2 million (22%) children under the age of five are affected by stunting (low height-for-age) and 45.4 million (6.7%) of children are affected by wasting (low weight-for-height). Similarly about 38.9 million (5.7%) children under 5 are overweight (high weight-for-height). Based on a conservative scenario, it is projected that an additional 22 million children in low and middle income countries will be stunted, an additional 40 million will be wasted between 2020 and 2030 due to the pandemic.
Women Health is also another major issue, about which the data also does not gives a rosy picture. Percentage of women of reproductive age affected by anemia stood at 29.9% whereas percentage of infants aged below 6 months who were exclusively breastfed stood at 44%. The report further says that the situation arising out of COVID-19 pandemic will further deteriorate the food and nutritional security of the population all across the globe with some regions set to suffer more than the others. It is projected that around 660 million people may still face hunger in 2030, 30 million more people than in a scenario in which the pandemic had not occurred, due to lasting effects of COVID-19 on global food security. At a time, when the world is rigorously pursuing to achieve the targets of Sustainable Development Goals 2030, such developments are an obstacle for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal for zero hunger and ending all forms of malnutrition even more challenging. The report indicates that although some progress has been made for some forms of malnutrition, but the world is not on track to achieve any global nutrition targets by 2030.
Progress to reduce undernourishment and micronutrient deficiencies has been far too slow and uneven across regions, countries and populations groups. The prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing in nearly all countries. To mobilize global action towards eradication of malnutrition in all its form all across the globe, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed the years’ corresponding to period between 2016-2025 as the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition.The UN Decade of Action on Nutrition is a commitment of Member States to undertake ten years of sustained and coherent implementation of policies and programmes, following the recommendations and commitments of the International Conference on Nutrition (ICN) held at Rome on Nov. 19-21, 2014 Framework for Action and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Decade will increase visibility of nutrition action at the highest level and ensure coordination, strengthen multi-sectoral collaboration, create synergies and measure progress towards sustainable food systems and food and nutrition security for all.
The International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021 also fall within the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition (2016-2025) and the UN Decade of Family Farming (UNDFF 2019-2028). Fruits and Vegetables are crucial for healthy lives and are a rich source of dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals and beneficial phytochemicals. India has also made remarkable progress in food grains and vegetable production. In food grains production we are top producer and exporter of many commodities. In fruits and vegetables production, we rank second next only to China. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends at least 400 grams of fruit and vegetables for an adult on a daily basis to prevent chronic diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and obesity, as well as to counter micronutrient deficiencies. Vegetables tend to be naturally low in sugar, sodium and fat. Certain vegetables also are very hydrating due to their high water content, which can range from 84 to 95%. Vegetables are also loaded with antioxidants and other beneficial plant compounds that help fight free radicals that damage cells. Diets rich in antioxidants such as vegetables are also linked to slower aging and a lower risk of disease.
The per capita availability of fruits in India is about 114 grams per day which is less than the recommended. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-National Institute of Nutrition has developed ‘My Healthy Plate’ and recommend sourcing of macro nutrients and micronutrients from minimum of 8 food groups per day to achieve a balanced diet that would fulfill the required energy needs 2000 calories per day of Indians. The fruits vegetables and green leafy vegetables constitute half of the plate of the recommended foods per day. The other major portion is occupied by cereals and millets followed by pulses and milk/curd.
Recognizing the importance of fruits and vegetables in leading a healthy life particularly at a time when the entire humanity is threatened by the COVID-19, the year long celebrations in the form of ‘International Year of Fruits and Vegetables (IYFV)’ is also dedicated to raising awareness about the important role of fruits and vegetables in human nutrition, food security and health. FAO, the lead agency for celebrating the year in collaboration with other organizations launched this year with an international virtual event. Speaking at the event the FAO Director-General described the initiative as ‘a unique opportunity to raise global awareness’. DG, FAO said that the COVID-19 pandemic had challenged people to find new ways of fighting hunger and malnutrition and IYFV would highlight the role of digital technologies in improving nutrition and market opportunities.
The UN Decade of Action on Nutrition and the International year of fruits and vegetables provide us an umbrella for a wide group of actors to work together to address various food and nutritional security concerns of the burgeoning population. |
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