Malnutrition Deeply: Food, Diet Innovations Key to Food Systems Transformation

June 26, 2018

[In this blog, Augustin Flory, managing director for nutrition, and Yashodhara Rana, a senior program officer, discuss the need to transform food systems. More specifically, they look at: how to accelerate the great food systems transformation required to reverse the dramatic increase in malnutrition globally; and how to more strategically shape the food and diets innovation landscape. This blog was originally published on R4D Insights.]

Confronted with the growing global burden of overweight and obesity, and the need to accelerate efforts in nutrition sensitive sectors to improve nutrition outcomes, the nutrition community is increasingly focusing the role of food and diets for nutrition. Two issues should be top of mind:

  1. How to accelerate the great food systems transformation required to reverse the dramatic increase in malnutrition globally
  2. How to more strategically shape the food and diets innovation landscape

The Great Food Systems Transformation

As we have written here, one of the biggest challenges facing our societies is to transform food systems so that empty calories and unhealthy foods become the “fossil fuels” of food systems, and healthy, nutritious and sustainably produced foods the “renewable energies” and the drivers of comparative advantage, investments and profits for the food industry. To achieve this, we need to act with levels of systemic ambition and urgency similar to those underpinning the efforts of the climate community to decarbonize energy systems. No less.

To read the full article, click here.

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