At its 42nd session in October 2015, the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) requested the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) to prepare a report on Nutrition and Food Systems, to be presented at CFS 44 in October 2017. This topic is highly relevant to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the implementation of the 2014 Rome Declaration on Nutrition, the subsequent Decade of Action for Nutrition, and the fulfilment of the right to adequate food.
The Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) , co - organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), was held at the Headquarters of FAO in Rome, Italy , from 19 to 21 November 20 14 . The Conference was convened to (i) review progress made since the 1992 International Conference on Nutrition, respond to new challenges and opportunities, and identify policy options for improving nutrition; (ii) bring food, agriculture, he alth and other sectors together and align their sectoral policies to improve nutrition in a sustainable manner; (iii) propose adaptable policy options and institutional frameworks that can adequately address major nutrition challenges in the foreseeable fu ture; (iv) encourage greater political and policy coherence, alignment, coordination and cooperation among food, agriculture, health and other sectors; (v) mobilize the political will and resources to improve nutrition; and (vi) identify priorities for int ernational cooperation on nutrition in the near and medium terms.
This publication contributes directly to SO1 and under Regional Initiative on Zero Hunger Challenge. Eradication of hunger and malnutrition is a major challenge in Asia. Dietary and production diversity are recognized factors in strategies to improve food security and nutrition. Currently, agriculture has an over-reliance on a handful of major staple crops. Agrobiodiversity offers huge potentials in addressing malnutrition and agricultural sustainability. Future Smart Food (FSF), often referred to as Neglected and Underutilized Species (NUS), are rich in Asia. They represent a promising abundance of food resources and constitute the bedrock of the food system diversity. FSF have enormous benefits which are nutrition-dense, climate-smart and economic viable. To tap the potential of FSF, FAO RAP has organized a Regional Expert Consultation on FSF through an interdisciplinary priority-setting exercise, in collaboration with the FAO Special Ambassador for the International Year of Pulses, the University of Western Australia, ICARDA, ICRISAT, MSSRF-LANSA, CATAS-TCGRI, Mahidol University, ACIAR, ICIMOD, CFF, as well as 8 national research institutes. The publication is a concrete follow-up product from the Regional Expert Consultation on Neglected and Underutilized Crop Species (NUS) that was held under the Regional Zero Hunger Challenge Initiative by FAO RAP in December 2016. Apart from regional thematic analysis, eight country studies on NUS are prepared and under peer-review by leading experts from agriculture, nutrition and socio-economic disciplines.
This book showcases a unique collection of images documenting how FAO has played a leading role in combating hunger worldwide since 1945.
This year’s Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition in the Near East and North Africa has an overarching theme of conflict and its effect on food security and nutrition in the region.