Opinion pieces
Why nutrition is foundational to development
Good nutrition is critical at the start of life from conception and during pregnancy. It paves the way for greater equality, and prosperity making nutrition foundational to development. This is the case made in the short brief Why Nutrition is Foundational to Development, which the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition…
Opinion piece in The Conversation by Lead Expert Group Chair, Prof Evan Fraser
An article by Prof Evan Fraser (Director of the Arrell Food Institute and Professor at the University of Guelph and Chair of the Lead Expert Group, Global Panel), supported by Dr Patrick Kormawa (Director, Food Security and Climate-Smart Agricultural Transformation, Office of the President of Sierra Leone) and Professor Sir John Beddington (Chair of the…
G20: The critical role of nutrition in global development
The G20 countries are facing multiple, interrelated public health challenges that threaten to further disrupt the achievement of the Sustainable Development Agenda. A key challenge is that our present food systems fail to provide diets that are healthy, affordable, and sustainable for three billion people. Their transformation is key to resolving such challenges. Despite their…
Opinion: COP27 Must Prioritise Climate Adaptation of Food Systems
An opinion piece by the First Lady of Ghana, Rebecca Akufo-Addu on why COP27 must prioritise climate adaptation of food systems, especially in low and middle income countries, has been published today by Devex International Development. The First Lady is a Champion within the African Leaders for Nutrition network and a Champion of Nutrition for Ghana. …
Opinion piece – It’s time to nourish Africa once and for all
Nature Food published an article today entitled “It’s time to nourish Africa once and for all.“ In the article Dr Adesina argues that for too long African countries have failed to make the necessary investments to provide sustainable, healthy diets for their citizens. Something that should be a basic human right. Today, nearly 250 million…
Options for reforming agricultural subsidies from health, climate, and economic perspectives
On the 10th January 2022, Nature Communications published an article by Dr Marco Springmann, Foresight 2.0 report Lead Expert Group member and senior researcher, Oxford Martin School, and Dr. Florian Freund, economic researcher, Oxford Martin School, co-funded by the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition. The article discusses the use of integrated…
Harnessing aquatic foods for sustainable healthy diets
Co-authored by Global Panel Chair Sir John Beddington, Dr. Naoko Yamamoto, Chair of UN Nutrition and Dr. Gareth Johnstone, Director General of WorldFish. It highlights the important role that aquatic foods play in sustainable healthy diets and the potential of sustainable aquaculture and fisheries, in combination with reduced food loss and waste and supportive fiscal…
Opinion: A ‘net zero’– equivalent target is needed to transform food systems
Published in Nature Food on Friday 3rd December 2021, Foresight Report Co-chair Prof Tim Benton, Panel member Dr Shenggen Fan and other colleagues discuss why nations need to position food systems transformation at the heart of policy priorities, which was not a theme at COP26. Read full article here. The UN Food Systems Summit in…
Opinion: Race for Covid vaccines in Africa is hiding the key role of nutrition
Published in the Financial Times on 4th April 2021, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank and Global Panel member, puts forward the argument that nutrition and health need to be recognised as central to both the food transformation agenda and to managing Covid-19, and that improved food systems can play a vital…
Opinion: The COVID-19 crisis has brought with it many important warnings and lessons. None more so than the fragility of our global food system.
Shenggen Fan is Chair Professor of China Agricultural University, former Director General of International Food Policy Research Institute and member of the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition. The COVID-19 crisis has brought with it many important warnings and lessons. None more so than highlighting the fragility of our global food system. Dangerous weaknesses have…