Feed the People: SDG 2

“Good food is a foundation for everything, providing the energy needed to fight for a better future for everyone, everywhere. Without good food, no other progress is possible” - SDG2 Advocacy Hub

SDGs , also known as Sustainable Development Goals or Global Goals, are solutions the UN

(United Nations) proposed to tackle pressing global issues. These solutions, seventeen in all,

were agreed upon in 2015 by the Global leaders. These goals have a timeline that by 2030 all

persons can live freely in peace and prosperity.

This article will focus on SDG 2: Zero Hunger, the second of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals. This goal was established in response to the high levels of malnutrition and food insecurity worldwide. The SDG 2 aims to eradicate all global food problems by the year 2030. Procedures and initiatives have been taken to carry out this goal. This includes cultivating good bonds internationally to enhance agricultural productivity by ensuring that financing and budgeting plans are put in place for infrastructure and technology. In addition, promoting sustainable agriculture, launching reliable campaigns and organizations to spread awareness and donations, amongst others.

Why is this important?

SDG2: Zero Hunger is an important goal as it identifies and seeks to address the pressing global concern of global hunger and malnutrition. By addressing these problems and coming up with solutions, stable food supply, the reduction of poverty, and environmental protection can be achieved by fostering food security and sustainable agriculture.

Here are 2 of the many steps that can be taken to support the Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger

Promote and Carry out Sustainable Farming Practices

Unsafe farming practices can lead to the destruction of the environment and even communities on a whole. Additionally, prioritizing natural alternatives and good soil health is more beneficial and safer than using synthetic pesticides and fertilizer. One great method of practicing sustainable farming practices is IPM, otherwise known as Integrated Pest Management, this is a sustainable way of controlling pests without heavily relying on pesticides.

Enhance Technology and Innovation in Sustainable Agriculture

Coming up with compelling and creative methods to cultivate crops and oversee livestock are necessary steps in SDG2’s mission. These technologies and innovations promote sustainable farming techniques such as maximizing resource utilization and utilizing digital technologies such as GPS, sensors, and drones to analyze data. Farmers can also precisely apply water, fertilizer, and insecticides, due to the rise in innovation and technology, which reduces waste and has a positive impact on the environment.

But how exactly can we “ Feed the People?”

Volunteering and spreading awareness

There are many charities that donate food and resources to different communities and groups, these charities and organizations often need the manpower to help with transporting and feeding the large amounts of persons, as well as, persons who are able to spread their cause and broaden their reach.

Supporting local farmers and being conscious of your health

One of SDG2’s missions is to promote sustainable agriculture production, support local farmers that practice farming methods that are beneficial globally. You can do this by directly asking them about their practices, or look for certifications or packages such as ‘Organic’.

Reduce food waste

You can do this by meal prepping, ensuring that leftovers are packaged securely and even starting a compost in your backyard or garden. With the pandemic hitting like a storm, operations have slowed down. Additionally, challenges like poverty, inequality, conflict, and a lack of access to decent healthcare have also impacted operations. These issues are few of the many challenges the SDG2 has faced when seeking to address pressing global food issues. However, the urgency of addressing food insecurity has never been greater.

Listed below are some passionate and commendable campaigns that are dedicated in spreading:

Hungry for Action

This is a campaign dedicated to breaking free from the constant crisis cycles that occur worldwide. Hungry for Action calls on all sorts of systems, communities, companies, and individuals from all over the world to come together and shed light on the current global food crises that are being faced. By raising awareness and advocating for effective solutions, this campaign aims to address and overcome the challenges that contribute to food insecurity

worldwide.

The Chef’s Manifesto

The Chef’s Manifesto is a campaign consisting of over a thousand chefs from over 90 countries that all have the same goal of implementing more sustainable food systems. Chefs, also known as masters of the kitchen, are influential voices when it comes to the creation of food and thus be powerful advocates for a better food future, that is, inspiring people to make changes in their kitchens and overall, in their communities as well.

Beans is How

Beans is How, unlike SDG2, aims to increase global consumption of beans by 2028. Whereas

SDG2 aims to eradicate all food problems by 2030. This campaign, just like the others, plays an important role in the eradication of food problems worldwide. Beans is How does this by

highlighting the importance of beans as a simple, inexpensive solution to the major global financial, health and climate problem present.

Climate Conscious Catering

Just like the previous campaigns, Climate Conscious Catering is a dedicated company established from a desire to make the food served at COP28 (which is the annual UN Climate

Change event) as climate conscious as possible. This organization serves an important role in

spreading awareness on how climate change affects the consumption of food across the world.

These organizations are just few of the many that are dedicated to negate the high levels of malnutrition and food insecurity.

SDG2 is more than just world hunger; it also encompasses malnutrition, agricultural aspects of storing food, implementing more sustainable food systems and much more. So let

us all do what we can to end these issues and feed the people!

References:

“The Global Goals: Overcoming the World's Challenges” (https://www.globalgoals.org/ )

“SDG2 Advocacy Hub” (https://sdg2advocacyhub.org/)

“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/)

“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/)