Ending World Hunger with Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger

“Unless we act now, the 2030 Agenda will become an epitaph for a world that might have been.” - António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations

Sustainable Development Goals are the efforts launched by the United Nations to end

poverty, world hunger, protect the planet and ensure that individuals no matter their race,

gender or identity, can enjoy peace and prosperity.

Accomplishing the Zero Hunger Sustainable Development Goal is a difficult feat faced with many challenges and set- backs. However, coming up with innovative techniques and ideas to accomplish the efforts are essential. In this article we dive into the world of SDG 2 and understand the goals and missions, as well as the hardships faced.

Delving into understanding Zero Hunger

The Sustainable Development Goal 2, also known as SDG 2, is the second goal of seventeen that has been proposed by the United Nations. This goal’s main objective is to achieve Zero Hunger, which is a situation in which persons from all corners of the world are able to access nutritious food needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Although this is an attainable goal with many accomplishments, stunted progress has also been a major setback recorded. As seen in 2022, where approximately 735 million people

(9.2% of the world’s population) were seen to be in a state of chronic hunger, 2 billion people in the world do not have regular access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food, 148 million children had stunted growth and 45 million children under the age of 5 were affected by wasting. In addition, an estimated 2.4 billion people faced moderate to severe food insecurity in 2022. This classification signifies their lack of access to sufficient nourishment. This number escalated by an alarming 391 million people when compare to 2019. On a whole, we’ve seen major setbacks when compared to 2019, this surge in hunger and food insecurity, fueled by a complex interplay of factors, demands immediate attention and coordinated global efforts to alleviate this critical humanitarian challenge.

As we can see, extreme hunger and malnutrition remain to be major barriers to reaching

further with sustainable development. This creates a trap from which people cannot easily

escape. These barriers negatively affect people, for example, individuals being less productive, and are more prone to diseases, this has the potential to impact their

livelihoods.

While there have been both progress and setbacks, much work remains to be done to ensure that every individual has access to an adequate and nutritious diet daily. In the face of such challenges, it is imperative that we redouble our efforts and work collaboratively to achieve the goals set forth by SDG 2. Efforts like starting organizations, campaigns and businesses dedicated to spreading awareness and much more have been taken to achieve these goals.

To see more on the initiatives taken, check out “Feed the People: SDG2” for more.

By 2030, the world will have hopefully accomplished this goal and look something like:

1. A place where access to nutritious food is not limited by geography, income or

social status.

2. A place where everyone has enough food to eat; no one goes to bed hungry.

Achieving SDG 2 by 2030 will not only ensure food security for all but will also lay the foundation for a more equitable and sustainable future for generations to come. How will

this be possible though?

Listed below are clear set aims set out by SDG2:

1. Reducing the number of hungry people by fifty percent on 2025

2. Ending malnutrition in all its forms, including undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, overweight and obesity

3. Reducing the number of stunted children under five years of age by 50% from 1990 levels

4. Achieving sustainable food production systems

The SDG2: Zero Hunger is a big goal that no individual, government, or country can tackle alone. It is a global effort that requires help and collaboration from all persons. Every action, no matter how small, contributes to the larger effort of building a world where no one goes to bed hungry. Together, we can turn the vision of Zero Hunger into a reality. So, what are you waiting for?

References:

“5-Step Approach to Achieve Zero Hunger SDG2” (https://tracextech.com/zero-hunger-sdg2/)

“Zero Hunger: Understanding the SDG Goal and Strategies for Achievement (https://www.graygroupintl.com/blog/zero-hunger)

“Goal 2: Zero Hunger - United Nations Sustainable Development” (https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/hunger/)

“Goal 2: Zero Hunger” (https://www.globalgoals.org/goals/2-zero-hunger)

“WFP and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) | World Food Programme” (https://www.wfp.org/sdgs)

“Goal 2: Zero Hunger” (https://www.undp.org/sustainable-development-goals/zero-hunger)

“Guterres” (https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2023/)