The waters that surround the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) of the Pacific are home to remarkable marine ecosystems. The fish and other marine species they host are deeply intertwined with many Pacific peoples’ cultures, livelihoods and food. But while the communities of these islands continue to consume fish in significant quantities, the diversity of Islanders’ diets is declining, and their nutrition is deteriorating. So, what are some new approaches and innovations that can help reverse this trend? A report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations () and WorldFish has some suggestions. .
Agriculture and Food
Increasing shocks from climate change, a global water crisis, loss of biodiversity, and other challenges continue to drive food insecurity and force more people into hunger. is taking a multi-faceted approach which focuses simultaneously on production, supporting vulnerable households with emergency and resiliency programs, and investing in sustainable food and nutrition. The current approach of responding to food crises through short-term measures is making a difference, it is critical to accelerate the transformation of the global food system
Uganda is often described as Africa’s breadbasket, but it still faces a multipronged challenge in eradicating hunger. Floods earlier this year followed a prolonged drought, while global supply disruptions increased prices for imported foods. Traditional humanitarian assistance “cannot keep pace” with today’s soaring and complex hunger demands without simultaneously addressing their root causes, says East Africa Senior Advisor Sibi Lawson-Marriott. She specializes in food systems and issues of climate action, resilience building and women’s empowerment. “We need a new approach”.
Smallholder farming has become increasingly unpredictable. Extreme climate-induced disasters – from floods and droughts to more powerful storms – are on the rise, with corresponding devastation. With accurate, location-specific climate and weather data, farmers can make more informed decisions about which crops to plant, or livestock to rear, or which livelihood options to pursue for a better income. ‘Participatory Integrated Climate Services for Agriculture’ is part of ’s strategy to bring actionable data and affordable digital technologies to those who need them.
The benchmark index of international food commodity prices declined again in June, led by price decreases for all major cereals and most types of vegetable oils, according to the latest . The index dropped 1.4 percent from May and 23.4 % from its peak in March 2022. Nevertheless, FAO warns that high food prices, economic downturns, conflict, droughts, and the impending risk of weather aggravate food security concerns in 45 countries that are assessed to need external assistance for food. .
In 1969 final plans for travel to the moon were being fine-tuned, including how to keep food safe so the astronauts, orbiting in space, would not get sick from the food prepared for the flight. Foodborne illnesses in the 1960s were not a rarity. So, the team approached food safety the way it tested engineering reliability: by checking the weak points in the system. During this period, another body made these standards international for the sake of everyone on the planet, not just in space. An / endorsed “food code” defined hygiene-related food standards for the next 50 plus years.
More than 1 in 10 people fall sick each year from foodborne illness, and 420,000 die. The young and the vulnerable are disproportionately affected by the 200 different foodborne diseases that result from unsafe food, most of which are preventable. Prevention of such illnesses requires food safety to be observed at each stage of the food production chain, from primary production right up to the consumer. On 7 June, World Food Safety Day, and host a hybrid high-level event to highlight how food safety standards contribute to saving lives – live streamed on the
For Zulaikha, a 48-year-old, widowed the cost of the everyday items she needs for her family of six seems beyond her means. Like many other smallholder livestock keepers and farmers across Afghanistan, Zulaikha’s livelihood has been battered by a combination of severe drought, the COVID-19 pandemic and the lack of economic prospects in the recent past. Things began to improve after supported her with emergency assistance for her livestock to enhance the health of her animals and increase the family’s access to nutritious food through improved dairy production.
Bees and other pollinators are the tiny linchpins of diverse food systems – some bees also make honey. That's why many around the world have taken up beekeeping, with ’s help.
and partners are helping Maasai men and women become beekeepers which is helping regenerate the forests around their hives.
The thermometer is already hovering near 40°C (104°F) before noon in a remote village in Niger’s southwestern Tillaberi region. Despite these high temperatures, -supported community gardening initiative, has transformed the once-barren earth with promising payoffs for the farmers. In regions severely affected by the food crisis, a striking 80 percent of villages benefitting from WFP resilience activities did not require humanitarian assistance last year. These initiatives include land rehabilitation where more than 233,000 hectares have been rehabilitated since the initiative’s launch in 2014.
Youth around the world are invited to create a paper or digital illustration to portray one of the six main steps of the seeds’ journey to the International Space Station (ISS), and what happens when they arrive back on Earth.
Muhammad Kasim, his wife, and eldest son repair fish nets damaged during the recent floods. “We come from a family of fishermen. Fishing is in our blood – it is my badge of honour. It’s also our only source of income,” said Kasim. His lifelong profession and source of income for his large family is now in jeopardy until waters recede and ecological balance is restored. Income from fishing heavily depends on the season. As the floods struck during peak fishing season, local fishermen will have to seek other options to put food on the table. In 2022, the Government of Pakistan launched the “Living Indus” initiative to restore the river’s ecosystem, so the Indus basin can become resilient to climate change.
together with the competent authorities engages many other stakeholders, including researchers who study the food safety issues of cell-based food, private cell-based food developers and producers, and non-governmental organizations to collaborate in this space to advance our collective knowledge.
The World Bank has spent more than $12 billion, out of the $30 billion committed last year, on nutrition security projects and lending – with almost half for Africa, one of the hardest hit regions by the food crisis.