Food security is enshrined in SDG2 and is also a core component of the human development and capability paradigm, since food access and entitlements are critical for reinforcing essential human capabilities. This paper argues that agriculture is central to improving food security and reducing poverty in Africa, requiring rapid increases in land productivity and increases in agricultural yields. A science-based approach that integrates gender and sustainability is critical to design and implement policies that improve the availability of farm inputs and farm technology.
Healthy-food procurement: using the public plate to reduce food insecurity and diet-related diseases
The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 04 April 2016
This brief article discusses why food procurement—the purchase, preparation, and serving of food in public institutions—is a promising strategy to improve the diet and nutritional health of vulnerable populations. With mounting evidence in high-income countries of the benefits of healthy-food procurement in tackling undernourishment, overnourishment, and chronic diseases associated with the latter such as type 2 diabetes, the challenge now is to translate the lessons learned to middle-income and low-income countries, thereby supporting the goals of SDGs 2, 3, and 12.
Food insufficiency is an important, modifiable risk factor for depression. The authors investigate this association using longitudinal data from South Africa. Food insufficiency has a strong association with depressive symptoms. This paper addresses Goal 2 and Goal 3
Agricultural development is critical to the advancement of Goal 2 (zero hunger). This concluding chapter summarises the roles of entrepreneurship and value chain organization in agricultural development in Brazil.
A study of the Massive Food Production Programme (MFPP) in South Africa shows that a focus on raising maize yields in small-scale farming environments did not result in a marked improvement in rural poverty or food security. This article presents results from a study of the MFPP in three villages in the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. This article highlights the interconnection between SDG 1 - No Poverty and SDG 2 - Zero hunger and points to ways in which improvements in agriculture could have benefits on the livelihoods of the poorest small holder farmers.
As the post-MDG era approaches in 2016, reducing child undernutrition is gaining high priority on the international development agenda, both as a maker and marker of development. Revisiting Smith and Haddad (2000), we use data from 1970 to 2012 for 116 countries, finding that safe water access, sanitation, women’s education, gender equality, and the quantity and quality of food available in countries have been key drivers of past reductions in stunting. This article demonstrates that addressing SDGs 2, 4, 5 and 6 contributes to the advancement of SDG 3.
This papers addresses SDGs 2 and 3 through discussions of "One Health" biosecurity by focusing on food security and documenting shortcomings of health policy based on global unity.
SDG 1 No Poverty and SDG 2 Zero Hunger are addressed in this article which provides, an analysis of the sustainability standards Fairtrade, Organic, and UTZ and their impact specifically on smallholder coffee farmers in Uganda. Only Fairtrade was found to have a positive effect on poverty. Poor African smallholders were found to be able to participate in high-value markets, but more research is needed in order to understand how standards and certification schemes can benefit developing countries better.
This chapter supports Goal 2 (zero hunger) and Goal 17 (partnership for the goals) through its study of the role the private sector plays in agricultural development.
Agricultural systems models worldwide are increasingly being used to explore options and solutions for food security, climate change adaptation, and mitigation and carbon trading problem domains. Improvements to the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM) can contribute to advancing SDG 15 and minimising the adverse environmental effects of food production.
