The Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit

Launched in 2013, this high-level event takes place every four years in the host country of the Olympics and Paralympics, serving as a stage for world leaders to make game-changing financial, policy and related commitments to improve global nutrition.
On 27 and 28 March 2025, Paris will host the N4G Summit. The Summit’s objectives are ambitious and crucial:

• Put nutrition at the heart of the global development agenda

• Unite the world in fighting all forms of malnutrition

• Ensure continuity and sustain commitments to good nutrition

• Secure strong political and financial commitments for better nutrition worldwide

What is at stake 

Eating a healthy diet throughout life is critical for preventing all forms of malnutrition, including undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and overweight or obesity. In 2022, however, approximately 2.8 billion people worldwide – or over one-third of the population – were unable to afford a healthy diet. Even in regions where economic resources are less of a constraint, healthy diets are not the norm for many people, and actions are needed to enable and motivate everyone to make healthier choices. 
FAO commends the leadership of the Republic of France in convening the 2025 Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit in Paris to expand political momentum and garner financial, policy and related commitments to accelerate nutrition actions at all levels towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the related World Health Assembly Global Nutrition Targets, including that of eliminating hunger and all forms of malnutrition (SDG2). 
On 10 March, FAO has assumed joint custodianship with UNICEF of a new Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicator regarding Minimum Dietary Diversity (MDD). This indicator captures a crucial aspect previously lacking in tracking progress toward ending malnutrition and achieving SDG 2 as part of the 2030 Agenda.
FAO strongly aligns with the vision for the 2025 N4G Summit that states that nutrition is to be put at the heart of the sustainable development agenda. 
“The upcoming Nutrition for Growth Summit next month in Paris will be critical to gain momentum and gather both financial and political commitments to accelerate nutrition actions,” said Dr QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General, at the 38th ordinary session of the Assembly of the African Union.

FAO former commitments and progress in achieving them

FAO made four commitments at the 2021 Tokyo N4G Summit, showcasing its dedication to advancing better nutrition and beyond. The Organization is now reviewing progress toward these commitments and evaluating potential updates to ensure continuous improvement and a greater impact in this critical area.

Commitment 1: Prioritizing access to healthy diets through agrifood systems
FAO aims to ensure that at least 90 percent of new FAO action plans related to agrifood systems (2022-2025) prioritize enabling access to healthy diets in alignment with the FAO Strategic Framework and the ambition of Better Nutrition.
In 2022-2023, 10 out of the 14 new FAO action plans related to agrifood systems (71 percent) adopted by the FAO Governing Bodies included enabling access to healthy diets as a priority.

Commitment 2: Multiplying nutrition-sensitive projects
FAO targets a 50 percent increase in nutrition-sensitive projects by 2025, with a long-term goal of 83 percent of projects being nutrition-sensitive by 2030.
In 2022-2023, 62 percent of approved FAO projects were classified as nutrition-sensitive. This represents an increase of nearly 13 percent over the baseline (in 2020-2021 only 55 percent of the projects were nutrition-sensitive), but the goal of 83 percent by 2030 still requires significant efforts.

Commitment 3: Supporting food loss and waste reduction
FAO aims to support at least 80 percent of requesting Members in implementing the Voluntary Code of Conduct for Food Loss and Waste Reduction by 2025.
In 2022-2023, FAO successfully provided support to all requesting countries, exceeding the target. In 2022, ten countries sought assistance, and in 2023, seven countries made formal requests. FAO responded to all 17 requests.

Commitment 4: Providing support on healthy diets by FAO country offices
FAO aims for at least 90 percent of its country offices to support host governments in promoting healthy diets through sustainable agrifood systems by 2025.
In 2022, 75 percent of FAO country offices (106 out of 141) reported to the FAO country annual survey providing such support, which increased to 86 percent in 2023 (125 out of 145). Over the two-year period, 69 percent of country offices (100 out of 145) consistently provided this support. 

FAO commitments have been included in the Nutrition Accountability Framework (NAF) of the Global Nutrition Report. The NAF is the world’s independent and comprehensive platform for registering specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (SMART) nutrition commitments and monitoring nutrition action.

FAO’s mandate for nutrition

Since its founding nearly 80 years ago, FAO has worked to improve global nutrition. This mission is reaffirmed in the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31, which prioritizes better nutrition alongside better production, a better environment, and a better life, as the core organizing principles and aspirations of the Organization.
There is an urgent need to enable access to and consumption of healthy diets for everyone, everywhere.
FAO works across the entire agrifood system, from ecosystem care to food production, processing, storage, transportation, marketing, consumption, and disposal — to improve diets, health, and our impact on the environment. FAO’s mission in nutrition is to tackle malnutrition in all its forms by accelerating impactful policies and actions across agrifood systems to enable healthy diets for all.
The Food and Nutrition Division (ESN) leads FAO’s efforts to promote healthy diets from sustainable, resilient and inclusive agri-food systems to improve nutrition and health. ESN works to ensure the entire FAO programme of work reaches its full potential to support healthy diets for all, and realize its ambition for Better Nutrition.