SDG 2: Zero Hunger

SDG 2: ZERO HUNGER

Goal 2 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is to eradicate hunger and ensure food security for all by 2030.

THE TARGETS

• End Hunger:
  • Goal: Ensure access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food for all individuals, especially the poor and vulnerable, year-round.
• End Malnutrition:
  • Goal: Eliminate all forms of malnutrition by 2030. Specific targets include addressing stunting and wasting in children under five years and meeting the nutritional needs of adolescents, pregnant women, and the elderly by 2025.
• Increase Agricultural Productivity:
  • Goal: Double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, particularly women, indigenous peoples, and family farmers. Ensure secure access to resources, knowledge, financial services, and markets.
• Sustainable Food Production:
  • Goal: Implement resilient agricultural practices to enhance productivity, maintain ecosystems, and adapt to climate change and disasters. Improve land and soil quality progressively.

• Preserve Genetic Diversity:
  • Goal: Maintain genetic diversity of seeds, plants, animals, and related wild species. Promote sound management and fair sharing of benefits from genetic resources and traditional knowledge.
• Increase Investment:
  • Goal: Boost investment in rural infrastructure, agricultural research, technology development, and gene banks, especially in developing and least developed countries.
• Trade and Market Regulations:
  • Goal: Correct trade restrictions and distortions in global agricultural markets. Eliminate export subsidies and ensure the proper functioning of food commodity markets. Facilitate access to market information to manage food price volatility.

OVERVIEW OF HUNGER

• Despite the progress made in previous decades, recent years have seen a troubling increase in global hunger and food insecurity.
• This trend has been exacerbated by factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing conflicts, climate change, and growing inequalities.
• By 2022, approximately 735 million people, or 9.2% of the world’s population, experienced chronic hunger.
• This marks a significant rise from 2019, highlighting a severe and worsening crisis.
• The persistence of hunger and food insecurity highlights the need for urgent and coordinated global action to address this critical humanitarian challenge.

IMPACT OF HUNGER

• Extreme hunger and malnutrition are major barriers to sustainable development.
• They create a cycle of poverty and poor health, impeding individuals’ ability to be productive, earn a living, and improve their circumstances.
• As of 2022, 2 billion people lacked regular access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food.
• Among the most affected are children, with 148 million experiencing stunted growth and 45 million suffering from wasting.

CURRENT HUNGER STATISTICS

• Chronic Hunger: By 2030, over 600 million people are projected to still face hunger, demonstrating the immense challenge of achieving the Zero Hunger target.
• Food Insecurity: Moderate food insecurity affects people who cannot regularly access a healthy, balanced diet due to income or resource constraints.

CAUSES OF HUNGER

Several factors contribute to the current levels of hunger:

• Conflicts: Ongoing conflicts disrupt food production and distribution.
• Climate Change: Extreme weather events and environmental degradation affect agricultural productivity.
• Economic Pressures: Rising food prices and cost of living pressures exacerbate food scarcity.
• Civil Insecurity: Political instability can hinder food access and distribution.

IMPORTANCE OF ADDRESSING HUNGER

• Addressing hunger is essential for improving overall quality of life and achieving other SDGs, such as health, education, and gender equality.
• A world without hunger can positively influence economies, enhance health outcomes, promote educational opportunities, and drive social development.
• Hunger limits human potential and hinders progress across various dimensions of society.

STRATEGIES OF ACHIEVING ZERO HUNGER

To achieve Zero Hunger, a multi-faceted approach is required:

• Social Protection: Implement programs that ensure safe and nutritious food for vulnerable populations, particularly children.
• Food System Transformation: Create more inclusive and sustainable food systems.
• Investment: Increase investments in rural and urban areas, focusing on agriculture, social protection, and infrastructure to improve food security and livelihoods.

THE CHALLENGE

• Despite the global availability of sufficient food, approximately 1 in 9 people worldwide experiences hunger.
• A significant proportion of this vulnerable group resides in Asia, where two-thirds of the undernourished population is concentrated.
• Projections suggest that if current trends continue, the number of hungry people could reach 2 billion by 2050.
• Although the global proportion of undernourished people in developing regions has decreased from 23.3% (1990-1992) to 12.9% (2014-2016), approximately 795 million individuals still suffer from undernourishment.

INDIA & SDG 2

Current Situation: South Asia, including India, carries the greatest burden of hunger, with over 281 million undernourished people and 40% of India’s population affected.

India has made significant strides towards achieving SDG 2, “Zero Hunger,” through various initiatives and policies. Here are some key efforts:

INITIATIVES TAKEN BY INDIA

• National Food Security Act (NFSA): Guarantees subsidized food grains to a significant portion of the population, ensuring food security for the most vulnerable.
• PM Kisan Samman Nidhi: Provides financial support to small and marginal farmers, boosting agricultural income and reducing poverty.
• National Agricultural Market (e-NAM): Promotes efficient agricultural markets, reducing wastage and increasing farmers’ incomes.

NUTRITION PROGRAMS

• National Nutrition Mission (NNM): Aims to improve nutritional outcomes, especially for women, children, and adolescents.
• Midday Meal Scheme: Provides nutritious meals to school children, ensuring adequate nutrition for a growing population.
• Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS): Offers comprehensive childcare and nutrition services to children under six years of age.

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

• National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA): Focuses on promoting sustainable agricultural practices, such as organic farming and climate-smart agriculture.
• Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY): Encourages organic farming and certification.
• National Food Security Mission (NFSM): Aims to increase production and reduce wastage of food grains.
• Infrastructure and Support: Measures include improving irrigation, crop insurance, and developing better crop varieties.

FOOD PROCESSING

• Food Processing Industries (FPI): Encourages value addition to agricultural products, reducing post-harvest losses and creating employment opportunities.
• Central and State Food Processing Enterprises: Provide financial assistance and infrastructure to food processing industries.

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