As a result of a collaboration between FAO, IFAD, WHO, UNICEF, and WFP, The United Nations report on The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI), was presented on July 15 in New York.

The report attempts to map the progress of Sustainable Development Goal 2- Zero Hunger. The goal which aims at ending hunger, achieving food security, and improved nutrition states that by 2030 all forms of hunger and malnutrition should be eliminated.
Despite several initiatives undertaken to solve the global problem of malnutrition, the report presented several staggering facts which are a cause of serious concern:

1. More than 820 million people suffer from chronic hunger

The years following 2015 have witnessed a rise in Hunger as a result of which 10.8% of the global population, are hungry today.
Africa has witnessed the sharpest rise in hungry people due to factors like drought, poverty, and conflict contributing to food insecurity amongst the people.

Africa has seen the sharpest rise in hungry people, with 256 million people on the continent going hungry in 2018, compared to 196 million in 2005. The UN notes that drought, widespread poverty, and conflict are responsible for the rise in hunger. In fact, nearly 1 in 5 Africans live with severe food insecurity.

2. 2 billion people do not have regular access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food.
The problem is not just rampant in developing countries but 8% of the population of the developed countries of North America and Europe do not have sufficient access to food. This may not be an immediate threat but has the potential to cause severe health hazards in the future.

3. Women are more likely to be hungry than men
Across continents, the rate of hungry women is higher than that of men. This causes severe health issues like anemia and problems during childbirth. Unhealthy women give birth to unhealthy children giving rise to a vicious circle of poor health in the population.

4. 2.3 billlion people are overweight
The goal of zero hunger not only encompasses people suffering from malnutrition but also includes other health hazards such as obesity which are significantly dangerous. As obesity mostly affects children in the age group 5-14 it becomes essential to counter the menace for promoting health and prosperity in the future generations

5. Hunger and malnutrition are expected to rise
Contrary to the agenda of bringing down hunger by 2030, there is an expected increase in the overall population suffering from hunger which can be attributed to a majority of factors. The causes of the increase in Hunger amongst the population of the countries have been attributed to the slow-down of the economy majorly. However natural disasters such as climate shocks and human-induced disasters such as wars are also instrumental in aggravating this problem.

The UN report is a warning sign as the findings are extremely alarming. It requires intervention across countries to ensure that more efforts are put into ensuring that hunger is completely eradicated from the world by the year 2030.