On World Food Day, it’s time to remind ourselves that economic growth is only sustainable if all countries have food security. Without a country-owned and country-driven food security strategy, there will be obstacles and additional costs to global-, regional- and country-level economic growth.
Countries with very high levels of poverty and chronic malnutrition face limitations in human capital development, which is required to achieve sustainable growth. High levels of poverty, inequality and chronic malnutrition force governments to invest a significant chunks of their resources in short-term fixes like social safety net programs and conditional cash transfers. High rates of malnutrition can lead to a loss in gross domestic product of as much as 4 to 5 percent, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.
Food security not only carries significant benefits for human health, but also serves as the basis to achieve sustained economic growth. That’s why it’s essential that we understand that a food security strategy needs to be seen as more than a single sector issue — it requires a combination of coordinated actions in various sectors. We are talking about actions in finance, agriculture, health and nutrition, infrastructure, and other sectors.
About the author
Máximo Torero Cullen
Máximo Torero Cullen is the chief economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Prior to joining FAO, he had been executive director at the World Bank Group since November 2016 and, before the bank, Torero led the Markets, Trade, and Institutions Division at the IFPRI.
