The number of hungry people in the world is growing, reaching 821 million in 2017 or one in every nine people, according to this new report on the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World released by FAO. Hunger has been on the rise over the past three years says the report and calls for urgent action if the Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger is to be achieved by 2030.

According to some estimates food production needs to increase 60% by 2050 to meet the expected demand and assure food security for all. In order to meet this target and simultaneously achieve the carbon emission targets set in the Paris agreement it is necessary to restructure agricultural production in a substantial way.

Reducing food loss and waste can contribute to food security and sustainability. Measuring food loss and waste (FLW), identifying where in the food system it occurs, and developing effective policies along the value chain are essential first steps toward addressing the problem.

The high cost of nutritious foods can worsen poor diets and nutrition outcomes especially among low-income households. Yet little is known about the spatial and temporal patterns of the cost of nutritious diets in South Asia, where malnutrition in multiple forms remains high.