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UN: SDG 2, Zero Hunger may not be Achieved in 2030
UN: SDG 2, Zero Hunger may not be Achieved in 2030
***1/5th of Africans Faced Hunger in 2023
By: Michael Mike
The World is at the risk of not achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 and Zero Hunger by 2030.
The annual report, launched this year in the context of the G20 Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty Task Force Ministerial Meeting in Brazil, issued by five United Nations (UN) agencies has warned.
The report which showed that the world has been set back 15 years, with levels of undernourishment comparable to those in 2008-2009, disclosed that around 733 million people faced hunger in 2023, equivalent to one in eleven people globally and one in five in Africa, according to the latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) published on Wednesday by five United Nations specialized agencies.
A statement on Thursday by the United Nations agencies said despite some progress in specific areas such as stunting and exclusive breastfeeding, an alarming number of people continue to face food insecurity and malnutrition as global hunger levels have plateaued for three consecutive years, with between 713 and 757 million people undernourished in 2023—approximately 152 million more than in 2019 when considering the mid-range (733 million).
The statement said: “Regional trends vary significantly: the percentage of the population facing hunger continues to rise in Africa (20.4 percent), remains stable in Asia (8.1 percent)—though still representing a significant challenge as the region is home to more than half of those facing hunger worldwide —and shows progress in Latin America (6.2 percent). From 2022 to 2023, hunger increased in Western Asia, the Caribbean, and most African subregions.
“If current trends continue, about 582 million people will be chronically undernourished in 2030, half of them in Africa, warn the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN World Food Programme (WFP), and the World Health Organisation (WHO). This projection closely resembles the levels seen in 2015 when the Sustainable Development Goals the were adopted, marking a concerning stagnation in progress.”
The report highlighted that access to adequate food remains elusive for billions. In 2023, around 2.33 billion people globally faced moderate or severe food insecurity, a number that has not changed significantly since the sharp upturn in 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Among those, over 864 million people experienced severe food insecurity, going without food for an entire day or more at times.
The report added that this number has remained stubbornly high since 2020 and while Latin America showed improvement, broader challenges persist, especially in Africa where 58 percent of the population is moderately or severely food insecure.
“The lack of economic access to healthy diets also remains a critical issue, affecting over one-third of the global population. With new food price data and methodological improvements, the publication reveals that over 2.8 billion people were unable to afford a healthy diet in 2022. This disparity is most pronounced in low-income countries, where 71.5 percent of the population cannot afford a healthy diet, compared to 6.3 percent in high-income countries. Notably, the number dropped below pre-pandemic levels in Asia and in Northern America and Europe, while it increased substantially in Africa.
“While progress has been made in increasing exclusive breastfeeding rates among infants to 48%, achieving global nutrition targets will be a challenge. Low birthweight prevalence has stagnated around 15%, and stunting among children under five, while declining to 22.3%, still falls short of achieving targets. Additionally, the prevalence of wasting among children has not seen significant improvement while anaemia in women aged 15 to 49 years has increased,” the report further said.
According to the report: “Similarly, new estimates of adult obesity show a steady increase over the last decade, from 12.1 percent (2012) to 15.8 percent (2022). Projections indicate that by 2030, the world will have more than 1.2 billion obese adults. The double burden of malnutrition – the co-existence of undernutrition together with overweight and obesity – has also surged globally across all age groups. Thinness and underweight have declined in the last two decades, while obesity has risen sharply.
“These trends underscore the complex challenges of malnutrition in all its forms and the urgent need for targeted interventions as the world is not on track to reach any of the seven global nutrition targets by 2030, the five agencies indicate.
“Food insecurity and malnutrition are worsening due to a combination of factors, including persisting food price inflation that continues to erode economic gains for many people in many countries. Major drivers like conflict, climate change, and economic downturns are becoming more frequent and severe. These issues, along with underlying factors such as unaffordable healthy diets, unhealthy food environments and persistent inequality, are now coinciding simultaneously, amplifying their individual effects.”
This year’s report’s theme “Financing to end hunger, food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition’’, emphasized that achieving SDG 2 Zero Hunger requires a multi-faceted approach, including transforming and strengthening agrifood systems, addressing inequalities, and ensuring affordable and accessible healthy diets for all. It calls for increased and more cost-effective financing, with a clear and standardized definition of financing for food security and nutrition.
The heads of the five UN agencies, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu; IFAD President Alvaro Lario; UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell; WFP’s Executive Director Cindy McCain; and WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus write in the report’s Foreword: “Estimating the gap in financing for food security and nutrition and mobilizing innovative ways of financing to bridge it must be among our top priorities. Policies, legislation and interventions to end hunger and ensure all people have access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food (SDG Target 2.1), and to end all forms of malnutrition (SDG Target 2.2) need significant resource mobilization. They are not only an investment in the future, but our obligation. We strive to guarantee the right to adequate food and nutrition of current and future generations”.
The statement said, as highlighted during a recent event in the High-Level Political Forum at UN headquarters in New York, the report underscores that the looming financing gap necessitates innovative, equitable solutions, particularly for countries facing high levels of hunger and malnutrition exacerbated by climate impacts.
It said: “Countries most in need of increased financing face significant challenges in access. Among the 119 low- and middle-income countries analyzed, approximately 63 percent have limited or moderate access to financing. Additionally, the majority of these countries (74 percent) are impacted by one or more major factors contributing to food insecurity and malnutrition. Coordinated efforts to harmonize data, increase risk tolerance, and enhance transparency are vital to bridge this gap and strengthen global food security and nutrition frameworks.
The FAO Director-General, Qu Dongyu said: “Transforming agrifood systems is more critical than ever as we face the urgency of achieving the SDGs within six short years. FAO remains committed to supporting countries in their efforts to eradicate hunger and ensure food security for all. We will work together with all partners and with all approaches, including the G20 Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty, to accelerate the needed change. Together, we must innovate and collaborate to build more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems that can better withstand future challenges for a better world.”
IFAD President, Alvaro Lario: “The fastest route out of hunger and poverty is proven to be through investments in agriculture in rural areas. But the global and financial landscape has become far more complex since the Sustainable Development Goals were adopted in 2015. Ending hunger and malnutrition demands that we invest more – and more smartly. We must bring new money into the system from the private sector and recapture the pandemic-era appetite for ambitious global financial reform that gets cheaper financing to the countries who need it most.”
UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell: “Malnutrition affects a child’s survival, physical growth, and brain development. Global child stunting rates have dropped by one third, or 55 million, in the last two decades, showing that investments in maternal and child nutrition pay off. Yet globally, one in four children under the age of five suffers from undernutrition, which can lead to long-term damage. We must urgently step-up financing to end child malnutrition. The world can and must do it. It is not only a moral imperative but also a sound investment in the future.”
WFP Executive Director, Cindy McCain: “A future free from hunger is possible if we can rally the resources and the political will needed to invest in proven long-term solutions. I call on G20 leaders to follow Brazil’s example and prioritize ambitious global action on hunger and poverty. “We have the technologies and know-how to end food insecurity – but we urgently need the funds to invest in them at scale. WFP is ready to step up our collaboration with governments and partners to tackle the root causes of hunger, strengthen social safety nets and support sustainable development so every family can live in dignity.”
WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus: “The progress we have made on reducing stunting and improving exclusive breastfeeding shows that the challenges we face are not insurmountable. We must use those gains as motivation to alleviate the suffering that millions of people around the world endure every day from hunger, food insecurity, unhealthy diets and malnutrition. The substantial investment required in healthy, safe and sustainably produced food is far less than the costs to economies and societies if we do nothing.”
The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World is an annual report jointly prepared by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Since 1999, it has monitored and analysed the world’s progress towards ending hunger, achieving food security and improving nutrition. It also provides an in-depth analysis of key challenges for achieving these goals in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The report targets a wide audience, including policymakers, international organizations, academic institutions and the general public.
This year’s theme is timely and relevant in the run-up to the Summit of the Future, and the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in 2025.
UN: SDG 2, Zero Hunger may not be Achieved in 2030
NSCDC Boss Charges Personnel on Professionalism, Integrityin VIP Protection
By: Michael Mike
The Commandant General (CG) of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Prof. Ahmed Audi has issued a stern mandate to officers to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and commitment in the protection of Very Important Persons (VIPs).
The CG gave this charge during his keynote address at a three-day VIP leadership and management workshop held at the NSCDC National Headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.
The intensive training brought together state commandants, VIP commanders, and armorers from across the country.
Audi emphasized that the mandate for VIP protection as conferred by President Bola Tinubu is a sacred trust that must not be compromised. He warned that his administration maintains a zero tolerance policy for any form of misconduct.
He said: “This administration will sanction any personnel found sabotaging the Corps’ efforts in implementing the VIP mandate,” adding that: “This responsibility must be carried out to the admiration of the government and Nigerians to justify the confidence reposed in us.”
The workshop, organized under the Directorate of Training and Manpower Development, serves as a strategic intervention to sharpen the tactical and administrative skills of the Corps’ leadership.
Acting Deputy Commandant General Muktar Lawal, explained that the curriculum focuses on: strengthening leadership capacity and management skills.
Improving interdepartmental coordination.
Reinforcing professionalism in armory management and decision-making.
The CG underscored the importance of excellence by commending the VIP National Commander, Deputy Commandant of Corps Anyor Donald, for his professionalism and loyalty, urging others to embrace similar qualities.
The event featured goodwill messages from the Corps’ top brass, including Deputy Commandants General Zakari Ibrahim Ningi, fdc; Nnamdi Nwinyi; Pedro Awili Ideba; and Professor Tyoor Frederick Terhemba, all echoing the need for heightened accountability in the field.
NSCDC Boss Charges Personnel on Professionalism, Integrityin VIP Protection
VP Shettima Launches Vision 2050 Blueprint For South-East’s Economic Development
Says new investment company, diaspora partnerships will drive infrastructure, industrial transformation
By: Our Reporter
Vice President Kashim Shettima has launched a 25-year development blueprint for the South-East region, saying the region is a central pillar of Nigeria’s economic future.
He also announced that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment of the South East Investment Company Limited, designed to mobilise resources from the diaspora, capital markets, and development finance institutions for the region’s development.
Speaking on Wednesday during the South-East Vision 2050 Regional Stakeholders’ Forum in Enugu, the Vice President said the gathering was a decisive break from short-term governance cycles toward a structured, multi-decade development framework.
“This forum reflects foresight, responsibility, and a shared understanding that the future is not something we wait for, but something we must deliberately design.
“In recognition of the distinctive character of the South-East, its entrepreneurial spirit, its global diaspora, and its long-standing relationship with international capital, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the establishment of the South East Investment Company Limited,” VP Shettima said.
He said the company will work in synergy with the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) to address postwar infrastructure gaps and drive long-term regional competitiveness.
Senator Shettima reaffirmed that the SEDC was conceived to focus on structural transformation rather than routine administrative activity, insisting that Nigeria is strongest when its regions thrive.
“Let me be clear. This is not another layer of bureaucracy. It is a delivery institution, focused on tangible outcomes that translate into jobs, productivity, and growth,” he stated, noting that the South-East carries a unique historical burden, which makes deliberate regional planning both urgent and necessary.
The VP praised the inclusive nature of the forum, which brought together federal and state governments, traditional institutions, the private sector, civil society, and development partners.
He also acknowledged the presence of Umu Igbo Unite, a United States–based network of over 10,000 young professionals, saying, “The future of the South-East will be built both at home and abroad, together.”
Addressing the youth directly, the Vice President insisted that development must produce concrete results.
“To the young people of the South-East and of Nigeria as a whole, let me speak plainly. You are not spectators in our national journey. You are central to it. Your energy, creativity, and ambition are essential to the Nigeria we are working to build. Development must not remain an abstract promise. It must be felt in the daily lives of our people.
Earlier, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State joined his colleagues in the region in endorsing the vision 2050, explaining that the vision is an opportunity for the South East region to tap into the national agenda tagged vision 2060.
He applauded the unity of purpose among leaders and stakeholders in the region and proposed the birthing of a South East common market, describing the moment as the awakening of an economic giant.
On reimagining the South East as an economic bloc, Governor Mbah said the focus on the unity and synergy of ideas and resources and the decision to change the thinking of leaders and the people about their development trajectory, must remain paramount.
He urged a paradigm shift in the planning and execution of projects across the region while calling on the people of the area to complement the renewed drive by the Federal Government to improve the security of lives and livelihoods as well as integrate all parts of the region’s plan for inclusive development.
He thanked the Vice President for his show of dedication and substance to the cause of the South East region, noting that his presence reinforced the principle that sustainable regional development does not thrive in isolation but on dedicated national leadership as exemplified by the presence of the Vice President.
In his remarks, Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State, pledged the support of the state government for the implementation of a development plan for the region, noting that the plan will close unemployment and poverty gaps, while unlocking potentials across different sectors of the region’s economy.
He said Ebonyi State, under his administration, is building on the foundation of past administration in agriculture and agribusiness, education, solid mineral development, and a roadmap for the transformation of Ebonyi state as a hub of rural development in the South East.
In the same vein, Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, expressed happiness and satisfaction over the unanimous adoption and support for the South East Vision 2050 by critical stakeholders across the private and public sectors, saying the summit is connected to revolution of the region and its economic transformation.
Citing examples of transparent leadership in Abia State and abundance of solid minerals and other natural resources across the South East, Governor Otti said the task of economic transformation and industrialisation of the region was feasible and possible with committed and transparent execution of development agenda.
For his part, Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State, thanked President Tinubu for the creation of the SEDC, describing it as a gift to the region that has been clamoured for by stakeholders for a long time.
He said the conversation around the SEDC Vision 2050 was historic, as it was the first time the governors and other leaders across the region were united in the adoption of a framework that will guide the transformation of the area.
In a keynote address, the Resident Representative of the UNDP, Mrs Elsie Attafuah, spoke on global lessons in long-term regional planning through institutional capacity for sustainable implementation of development plans in complex contexts.
She said for genuine industrialisation to be achieved, policymakers and stakeholders must ensure that infrastructure built across the region serve domestic production.
She urged cutting edge execution of Vision 2050 by stakeholders across the region and noted the importance of catalysing the comparative advantages of southeastern states in ensuring sustainability of the gains recorded in the years to come.
In his remarks, the Minister of Regional Development, Engr Abubakar Momoh, said the event was a crowning moment in the development of the South East region, especially in fostering a united and prosperous future.
He said the creation of the SEDC by the administration of President Tinubu reflects an institutional commitment to the coordinated and targeted transformation of the region through the revitalisation of critical infrastructure such as the rail sector and the commodity ecosystem, among others.
For her part, the Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, underscored the significance of aligning resources and efforts, which she said had been prioritized through the South East Vision 2050 programme.
Dr Oduwole pledged the support of her ministry and announced the ministry’s launch of a nationwide trade facilitation tour to boost the export potentials across the country, describing the South East region as the springboard for Nigeria’s industrial transformation.
In a goodwill message, President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo World Wide, Sen. Azuta Mbata, commended the Federal Government for its efforts in prioritizing regional integration and development through the summit.
He said the integration of the South East in the broader national development agenda is key, and pledged the support of the people of the region for the aspirations of the vision 2050 and the Renewed Hope Agenda of administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
On his part, Chairman of the South East Development Commission, Sir Emeka Wogu, thanked President Tinubu for his commitment to the progress and development of the South East region and its people.
He said the South East vision 2050 is unique and designed to ensure continuity in the execution of development agenda for the region and the synergy of efforts by the respective state governments.
For his part, the Managing Director of the SEDC, Mr Mark Okoye, thanked President Tinubu for the creation of the commission as a special purpose vehicle to champion the economic transformation of the region.
He said the SEDC will seek the partnership of state governments, diaspora community and the organised private sector in implementing the 2050 vision aimed at charting a shared path to sustainable prosperity for South East Nigeria focusing on infrastructure, power, peace building and connectivity, among others.
There were also goodwill messages from representatives of corporate bodies, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), faith-based organisations, youth groups, diaspora community and development partners, among others.
The Vice President, accompanied by governors of the southeast region and other dignitaries, toured the exhibition gallery mounted by the Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture.
VP Shettima Launches Vision 2050 Blueprint For South-East’s Economic Development
Zulum Receives Seven Ambassadors, UN Officials on Humanitarian Visit to Maiduguri
By: Michael Mike
Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum has received ambassadors from seven countries alongside senior United Nations and federal government officials during a high-level humanitarian visit to Maiduguri.
The visiting diplomats represented India, Egypt, Indonesia, the Philippines, Turkey, Malaysia and Qatar. They were accompanied by the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Bernard Doro.
The visit was organised to give the international partners an opportunity to directly assess the humanitarian situation in Borno State and observe ongoing recovery and development efforts following years of conflict.
During the visit on Tuesday, the delegation was taken on a tour of key projects implemented by the Zulum administration in the areas of education, healthcare and human capital development. The tour was led by the Acting Governor of the state, Umar Usman Kadafur.
Addressing journalists after the tour, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator praised Governor Zulum for what he described as visible and impactful infrastructure development across the state. He noted that the projects showcased a different narrative from the usual focus on security challenges in the region.
According to Fall, initiatives in education, vocational skills training, girl-child education and malnutrition treatment demonstrate deliberate efforts to improve the lives of residents and address the underlying causes of the humanitarian crisis. He stressed that sustained investment in education remains critical to long-term peace and development in the state.
Also speaking, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation expressed satisfaction with the level of progress recorded in Borno despite more than a decade of conflict. He commended the governor’s leadership, describing the facilities visited as practical tools for empowering residents and lifting them out of poverty.
The minister added that the vocational centres, comprehensive schools and other social infrastructure reflect a strong commitment to recovery, resilience and inclusive development in the state.
Zulum Receives Seven Ambassadors, UN Officials on Humanitarian Visit to Maiduguri
NSCDC Boss Charges Personnel on Professionalism, Integrityin VIP Protection
VP Shettima Launches Vision 2050 Blueprint For South-East’s Economic Development
Zulum Receives Seven Ambassadors, UN Officials on Humanitarian Visit to Maiduguri
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