“Over the past 20 years, progress has been made in the fight against world hunger, but not enough”, said Minister Paolo Gentiloni speaking at the second International Conference on Nutrition, which opened today at FAO headquarters in Rome. “FAO estimates tell us that 805 million of the world population are under-nourished”, Gentiloni pointed out, “in 1992 there were nearly one billion. The past 22 years have seen a reduction of 11.3%. The percentage of malnourished people in developing countries has gone from 23.4% to 13.3%; but in the meantime, new challenges have arisen, such as obesity, which is on the rise”
People-centred policies
According to Gentiloni, “policies have to be people-centred, building earning power and the ability to self-manage. Farmers need access to markets”. The minister reiterated the need for policies in support of families, and women in particular, “who are capable of increasing productive capacity”. Gentiloni also underscored the importance of “equal access to education in rural areas”. “More must be done to counter the impact of epidemics, climate change and economic crises”, the minister added, explaining that “partnership between the private sector and the civil society is crucial”.
