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Mainstreaming Nutrition in National and Regional Trade Laws and Regulations of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Promoting Local Food Value Chains for Intra-Sids Trade - TCP/RAF/3707

Year of publication 2021

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 10

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Project

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) SIDS suffer from the effects of climate change shocks. Cyclones, hurricanes and more erratic rainfall leading to drought, flooding, rising sea levels and eroding coastlines exacerbate already fragile natural environments, making it more difficult to produce sufficient food to meet their needs. Given their geographic and economic isolation, many SIDS rely heavily on remote markets for their food supplies, leading to undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and obesity, the ‘triple burden’ of malnutrition. Diabetes and other non-communicable chronic diseases are at excessive levels in a growing number of SIDS, largely as a result of a diet of processed imported foods that are high in sugar, salt and fats, aggravated by unchecked trade liberalization policies. Although undernutrition has fallen over the past three decades, levels of stunting still exceed 20 percent in children in the poorest SIDS. At the same time, levels of obesity, particularly among women, have increased sharply in many SIDS, including those in Africa. Food imports are an increasingly important source of food availability in most SIDS, despite the poor nutritional quality of many imported foods. Foreign investment in domestic food processing sectors in some SIDS has also contributed to the increased availability, and lower prices, of highly processed foods. The result has been a shift away from traditional, domestic staples, such as fruit and vegetables, towards diets high in processed and animal source foods, sugar, fat and salt. This shift has been identified as a leading driver behind the sharp rise in obesity and micronutrient deficiency in SIDS.

Language English

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