ICN2 focuses on nutrition security

November 28th, 2014

At the Second FAO/WHO International Conference on Nutrition, Rome 19-21 November, a new global policy on nutrition security has been outlined. Hunger, malnutrition and obesity are the three issues that count and should be addressed equally. This ‘triple burden of poverty’ does not have easy solutions. Partnerships are needed, in which also the private sector must play a role. Agriculture should be far more nutrition sensitive, not only focusing on calories but also on the quality of the diet: fruits and vegetables request more attention. And, as FAO Director General Da Silva said, reformulation is needed to reduce the intake of sugar, salt and saturated fat.

Nutrition is high on the international agenda now. And that should remain the case for the next ten years. Therefore the conference recommended making the coming ten years the Decade of Nutrition.