Global Health Check

Human bodies are records of our history and development. While civilisational narratives give temporal accounts of the evolution of human cultures and identities, the nutritional and health status of the living bodies—of humans, animal, other forms of beings—are the corporeal reflection of the actual state of a society. As much as the immediate environment and food systems shape public health, modern economy and politics play a far greater determining role. Meeting the global or national targets of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, of a “world free of hunger by 2030,” therefore requires a macro and multipronged strategy, grounded in the public health discourse. Given the current state of global hunger, there is a need for redoubling this effort, according to The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2023: Urbanization, Agrifood Systems Transformation and Healthy Diets across the Rural–Urban Continuum, published by the Food and Agricultural Organization.

The report takes stock of the global food security and nutrition in 2022, with a specific focus on the impact of the increasingly urbanised world on the food agro systems, nutrition and affordability of healthy diets. Around 57% of the world was urban in 2021 and this proportion is expected to be 68% by 2050. The rate of urbanisation being the highest in South Africa and South Asia, the impact on their agro systems, food systems and the diet transitions is going to be significant. This shift presents both challenges and opportunities.