UN World Food Programme Research Articles

Global and national aspects of food security in the minds of an unstable economy

As a result of Russia's aggression and the cessation of the export of Ukrainian agricultural products by sea, 22 million tons of grain were blocked in Ukrainian ports. This has significantly limited the ability of Ukrainian farmers to sell grain for the 2021 and 2022 harvests, while at the same time increasing the threat of global hunger, since almost half of all supplies under the UN World Food Program come from Ukraine. The subject of the study is ensuring food security in Ukraine and the world as a whole. The purpose of this scientific work is the analysis of modern conditions that affect compliance with food security in the global dimension. The main scientific methods used in writing the article were: analysis, synthesis, systematization, comparison, abstract-logical method. It has been established that the unblocking of Ukrainian ports and the resumption of grain and oilseed exports is of crucial importance both for the economy of Ukraine and for global food security. The results of the study indicate that Ukraine currently has three export routes - ports on the Danube, railways and highways. However, each of them has its own shortcomings. For example, the Danube ports have limited capacity due to the lack of barges, berths and terminals. Previously, Ukraine almost did not use this export route and therefore did not invest in it. In turn, railway and road logistics are hampered by heavy traffic jams at the borders, lack of wagons and fuel, phytosanitary procedures, as well as the difference between the European and Ukrainian (wider by 9 cm) tracks. Another significant problem is the lack of storage capacity in European ports, which are not adapted to such volumes of grain transshipment. It has been studied that almost a third of agricultural land is unsuitable for planting because it is mined. It was considered that even if the Ukrainian government manages to organize new ways of exporting food from the country, the export of the 2021/2022 marketing year was significantly smaller than last year. In 2023, due to the significant reduction in cultivated areas caused by the war, it is likely that it will not be possible to collect too large crops, and therefore, the share of Ukrainian products in the world food market will significantly decrease. Ukraine's place can be taken by other producers, in particular Brazil, Argentina, India, Canada and the USA. A significant reduction in Ukraine's exports has been established. The food security system is presented, which includes the conditions for ensuring food security and dimensions of food security. Russian aggression against Ukraine has been proven to be another economic challenge for developing countries in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which threatens their food security. A decrease in the production and export of grain from Ukraine and Russia, as well as an increase in the price of energy raw materials and fertilizers will lead to an increase in food prices in the world. Key words: food security, war in Ukraine, export, food security system.

Conviction, Creativity, and Human Behavior in Advertising: An Interview with Saul Betmead

Abstract: Drawing from his expansive career—from being chief strategy officer for VMLY&R to chief marketing officer at the UN World Food Programme to a preceptor, adviser, and mentor at the University of Oxford's Saïd Business School—Saul Betmead, a leading global marketer and strategist, offers a deep dive into the intricacies of the advertising industry. The interview covers the benefits of advertising; its influence on culture; the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB); and the crucial role of good mental health in creativity. He critiques the industry's shortsightedness, advocates for authentic brand purpose, and stresses the significance of long-term thinking. His advice for students, professors, and practitioners revolves around broadening perspectives, challenging assumptions, and foregrounding empathy. Betmead urges everyone to continually interrogate and redefine their assumptions, both personally and professionally.

Соціальне забезпечення внутрішньо переміщених осіб

The purpose of the article is to analyze the ways of social security for internally displaced persons in the ongoing wartime context. To achieve the article’s purpose, the author used the methods of analysis (to analyze the current state of social protection and social security of internally displaced persons); monographic method (to reflect the situation with internally displaced persons in the ongoing wartime context); abstract-logical method (to summarize the collected material). Under current conditions, there is an increasing need for social protection and social security. Beginning with the Russian military aggression of 2014, such a group of the population as internally displaced persons appeared in Ukrainian society. According to Ukrainian legislation, as such person is treated a citizen of Ukraine, a foreigner or a stateless person who stays legally on the territory of Ukraine and has the right to permanent residence in Ukraine, who was forced to leave or abandon her/his place of residence as a result of/in order to avoid the negative consequences of armed conflict, occupation, widespread violence, human rights violations and natural or man-made emergencies. Internally displaced persons are people who have been forced to flee their homes suddenly as a result of armed conflict, internal hostility, systematic human rights violations or natural disasters, but stay on the territory of their own country. Currently, there are a number of social benefits for internally displaced persons on the territory of Ukraine, as well as international aid programs, in particular: the Ministry of Social Policy Program, the UN Government Program, the UN World Food Program, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Program, the Ministry of Social Policy Program in cooperation with UNICEF, the International Committee of the Red Cross in

Вплив російської агресії на продовольчу безпеку України та світу

The article analyzes the current level of food security of Ukraine in the conditions of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war. The state of the agrarian sector is defined and the dynamics of domestic acreage and harvesting areas under grain crops is analyzed. The state and dynamics of the food situation in the country are determined, taking into account the indicators of economic availability of food supply to the population of both Ukraine and the world. The geographical structure of the State’s export potential in relation to grain products directly concerning the countries of North Africa and Asia is determined. The main factors shaping the demand in the food industry sphere in both the national and the international markets are presented. The raw material orientation of Ukrainian exports along with vulnerability in foreign food markets are examined. The threatening realities forced the world community, the UN World Food Program, the WTO to react, because, although they declared their intentions to minimize risks at the global level, the legal mechanisms did not work in reality. The purpose of the article is to highlight the organizational-legal mechanisms for minimizing the negative consequences of Russian aggression in the field of food security. An analysis of the State Program for stimulating the economy to overcome the consequences of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to the conclusion that in terms of ensuring food security, the program itself is ineffective, since it does not provide organizational-legal instruments for achieving the goals declared. The main negative factors of the influence of Russian aggression on the food security of Ukraine and the world are generalized. It is revealed that the current situation with food in the country at war is close to a catastrophic one, since Ukrainian grain plays a significant role in the fight against hunger in the world. It is determined that the primary role for getting out of this situation should belong not only to our State, but also to the international community.

10 years of the Syrian conflict: a time to act and not merely to remember

10 years of the Syrian conflict: a time to act and not merely to remember

COVID-19 disaster response: an emergency food and supply distribution programme in Bahía de Caráquez, Ecuador

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has further challenged the world's most vulnerable populations' access to adequate food. The UN World Food Program estimates that COVID-19 will increase worldwide food insecurity from 135 million to 265 million people by 2021. In March, 2020, Walking Palms Global Health (WPGH) initiated their More than Food Emergency Relief Program in Bahía de Caráquez, Ecuador, working with local government to deliver food and supplies to at-risk households. We aim to assess how WPGH's response affected households early in the 2020 pandemic. MethodsBetween March and July, 2020, rations were delivered to 225 families in rural, urban, and peri-urban communities within the city of Bahia de Caráquez located in the province of Manabí on Ecuador's west coast. These specific communities face frequent piped water disruptions, power outages, and mosquito-transmitted diseases such as dengue are endemic. In June, 2020, WPGH administered evaluations in the urban and rural communities, which included the World Food Program Food Confidence Score to address food consumption, food accessibility stress, and presence of chronic diseases. FindingsEvaluations were conducted in 21 of 45 urban households (47%) and 45 of 50 rural households (90%). Overall, 66 households (69%) completed surveys and 29 (31%) opted out. The association between household income before COVID-19 and food insecurity was significant (p=0·04). Before the first programme delivery, 59 participants (92%) worried that their household would experience food insecurity and most often felt nervous or stressed about possible food insecurity (n=55 [85%]). Insufficient access to food led to 55 respondents (85%) skipping meals. Food confidence scores remained stable over the pandemic's most challenging period (Food confidence score=37·68% before deliveries and 38·11% during deliveries). Respondents (n=61 [95%]) reported that boxes allowed them to prepare enjoyable and culturally appropriate meals. The most common combination of meals cooked with box items was rice and beans, stews, corviche, empanadas, and plantains with 98% of participants finding every box item useful. There was no relation between food insecurity and number of children (p=0·26) or number of people in households (p=1·00). There was no significant association between chronic disease and pre-COVID-19 household income (p=0·24) or respondents' food security (p=0·82). InterpretationIn communities that had high food insecurity before the pandemic, WPGH's response allowed households to maintain overall food consumption throughout the most challenging lockdown period. WPGH is currently working to innovatively and sustainably increase food security in the communities where they work. Limitations include programme administration relying on donor participation for financial support. FundingNone.

Establishing Global School Feeding Program Targets: How Many Poor Children Globally Should Be Prioritized, and What Would Be the Cost of Implementation?

The creation of Human Capital is dependent upon good health and education throughout the first 8,000 days of life, but there is currently under-investment in health and nutrition after the first 1,000 days. Working with governments and partners, the UN World Food Program is leading a global scale up of investment in school health, and has undertaken a strategic analysis to explore the scale and cost of meeting the needs of the most disadvantaged school age children and adolescents in low and middle-income countries globally. Of the 663 million school children enrolled in school, 328 million live where the current coverage of school meals is inadequate (<80%), of these, 251 million live in countries where there are significant nutrition deficits (>20% anemia and stunting), and of these an estimated 73 million children in 60 countries are also living in extreme poverty (<USD 1.97 per day). 62.7 million of these children are in Africa, and more than 66% live in low income countries, with a substantial minority in pockets of poverty in middle-income countries. The estimated overall financial requirement for school feeding is USD 4.7 billion, increasing to USD 5.8 billion annually if other essential school health interventions are included in the package. The DCP3 (Vol 8) school feeding edition and the global coverage numbers were launched in Tunis, 2018 by the WFP Executive Director, David Beasley. These estimates continue to inform the development of WFP's global strategy for school feeding.

The influence of fortified food products on dietary iron, iodine, and zinc content in Tajik schoolchildren

Introduction. The objective of the study is an assessment of dietary iron, iodine, and zinc content in school dinners in Tajik schoolchildren, as well as the influence of the use of fortified products supplied by the UN World Food Programme. Material and methods. The investigation is performed in two types of schools located in Penjikent and Ayni regions of the Tajikistan Republic. Type 1 schools were not involved in the program of school nutrition improvement, whereas type 2 schools took part in the WFP UN program on the supply of fortified products, as well as the governmental program on improvement of infrastructure and provision of hot meals. Results and discussion. Iron, iodine, and zinc content in fortified wheat flour supplied by WFP UN exceeded the respective values of the local product by a factor of 2.3, 14, and 4.7. Iodized salt (WFP UN) was characterized by an 11-fold increase in iodine content as compared to the locally used salt. The use of fortified wheat flour and iodized salt in type 2 schools for the preparation of school dinners should provide an increased dietary intake of iron, iodine, and zinc by a factor of 2.5, 12, and 4, when compared to type 1 schools, respectively. Conclusion. Therefore, WFP UN along with governmental efforts aimed at improvement of school meals provided from 50% to 100% of the recommended dietary allowance for iron and zinc, whereas in the case of iodine even exceeded recommended values, being indicative of the efficiency of the efforts. At the same time, such programs should be supported by trace element monitoring in the organism for assessment of both efficiency and safety.

The Lancet COVID-19 Commission

The Lancet COVID-19 Commission

IMPACT OF CORONAVIRUS ON THE STATE OF FOOD SECURITY AND TREATMENT OF MEDICAL WASTE

The article focuses on the results of a new analysis conducted by the World Bank, according to which the COVID-19 pandemic threatens not only economic development, but also the achievements of the last decade in the fields of health and education, environmental protection. Examples of slowing down economic activity through the introduction of quarantine and reducing the anthropogenic impact on the environment are given. Crises such as epidemics and economic downturns usually divert attention from global environmental issues. The authors of the article argue that in the future, advocates of sustainable environmental development, renewable energy and conscious consumption will need to make even greater efforts to prevent society from rolling back to dirty technologies, and for funding and public support they will need to demonstrate how the same Climate change corresponds to today's problems. It has been proven that the slowdown in economic activity due to the epidemic is a serious challenge to the environment, on the one hand, and opportunities – on the other. After a recession and reduced emissions, there is usually a rapid increase. States are investing heavily in large-scale production and infrastructure projects to quickly create jobs and emerge from the crisis. It is now extremely important that these investments take place on the principles of sustainable development. It is impossible to allow the construction of new coal-fired CHPs, disposable plastic plants, and the development of new oil fields. Also in this article, the authors analyze two key aspects of the impact of COVID-19 on the economy, environment and society: geospatial aspects of food security and the accumulation of problems in the field of medical waste. The importance of the former is recognized at the highest level, and the ideologue of its solution – the UN World Food Program – became the 2020 Nobel Laureate. At the same time, the main environmental commandment "reuse, recycle, reduce" in a pandemic does not work. Everyone buys medical masks, although their effectiveness has been proven to protect healthy people from the virus for a short period of time (masks should be changed every two hours and worn if you are near an infected person or have symptoms of the virus yourself). It is already known that South Korea, followed by the EU, is developing a plan of green economic incentives to overcome the crisis. The UN is urging other countries to make sure their post-crisis investments are climate-friendly. Ukraine should follow suit, creating environmental and economic recovery plans now. In particular, it is important to support green business and reorient dirty production, as well as look for optimal ways to handle medical waste.

Economic Life in Refugee Camps

Summary We analyze economic life in three Congolese refugee camps in Rwanda and the interactions between refugees and local host-country economies within a 10-km radius around each camp. Refugees in one of the three camps received food aid in kind, while in the other two camps they were given cash via cell phones provided by the UN World Food Programme. We find that refugee economies arise inside each camp, and the structure of these economies reflects the economic context around the camps. Despite undergoing forced migration and often living in destitute conditions, refugees actively interact with host country economies. Interactions with the host country result in a divergence of refugee households’ income from the assistance they receive. A shift from in-kind to cash aid appears to increase refugee welfare while strengthening market linkages between camp and host economies. This finding is potentially important for refugee policies as well as for other types of development assistance, as donors find themselves under pressure to shift from in-kind to cash aid.

The Nutritious Supply Chain: Optimizing Humanitarian Food Aid

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) is the largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, reaching around 80 million people with food assistance in 75 countries each year. To deal with the operational complexities inherent to its mandate, WFP has been developing tools to assist their decision makers with integrating the supply chain decisions across departments and functional areas. This paper describes a mixed integer linear programming model that simultaneously optimizes the food basket to be delivered, the sourcing plan, the routing plan, and the transfer modality of a long-term recovery operation for each month in a pre-defined time horizon. By connecting traditional supply chain elements to nutritional objectives, we made significant breakthroughs in the operational excellence of WFP's most complex operations, such as Iraq and Yemen. We show how we used optimization to reduce the operational costs in Iraq by 17%, while still supplying 98% of the nutritional targets. Additionally, we show how we are using optimization in Yemen to manage the scale-up of the existing operation from three to six million beneficiaries.

School food, politics and child health.

An analysis undertaken jointly in 2009 by the UN World Food Programme, The Partnership for Child Development and the World Bank was published as Rethinking School Feeding to provide guidance on how to develop and implement effective school feeding programmes as a productive safety net and as part of the efforts to achieve Education for All. The present paper reflects on how understanding of school feeding has changed since that analysis. Data on school feeding programme outcomes were collected through a literature review. Regression models were used to analyse relationships between school feeding costs (from data that were collected), the per capita costs of primary education and Gross Domestic Product per capita. Data on the transition to national ownership, supply chains and country examples were collected through country case studies. School feeding programmes increase school attendance, cognition and educational achievement, as well as provide a transfer of resources to households with possible benefits to local agricultural production and local market development. Low-income countries exhibit large variations in school feeding costs, with concomitant opportunities for cost containment. Countries are increasingly looking to transition from externally supported projects to national programmes. School feeding is now clearly evident as a major social programme in most countries with a global turnover in excess of $US 100 billion. This argues for a continuing focus on the evidence base with a view to helping countries ensure that their programmes are as cost-effective as possible. Clear policy advice has never been more important.

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this issue.The World's Largest Humanitarian Agency: The Transformation of the UN World Food Programme and of Food Aid. By D. John Shaw.Monetary Policy and Financial Sector Reform in Africa: Ghana's Experience. By Mahamudu Bawumia.

Preventing hunger: Sustainability not aid

Fifty years after its founding, UN World Food Programme head Josette Sheeran explains why the agency is now focusing on projects that help communities weather food crises.

The End of the African Renaissance

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size Notes 1. Elaine Ganley, “Mandela Asks African Renaissance, and Good Government,” Associated Press, June 13, 1994. 2. See World Bank, “Africa Development Indicators,” Web site, http://data.worldbank.org/data-catalog/africa-development-indicators. 3. See International Monetary Fund (IMF), “Regional Economic Outlook, Sub-Saharan Africa: Back to High Growth?” April 2010, Table SA3, p. 68, http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/reo/2010/afr/eng/sreo0410.pdf. 4. See World Bank, “Global Monitoring Report 2009,” 2009, http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTDEC/EXTGLOBALMONITOR/EXTGLOMONREP2009/0,,menuPK:5924413~pagePK:64168427~piPK:64168435~theSitePK:5924405,00.html. 5. See Statistics South Africa, “Quarterly Labour Force Survey,” Statistical Release P0211, May 4, 2010, http://www.statssa.gov.za/Publications/P0211/P02111stQuarter2010.pdf and “South Africa's Official Unemployment Rate 32.6 percent,” Reuters, March 31, 1995. 6. See Avril V. Adams, “Skills Development in the Informal Sector of Sub-Saharan Africa,” World Bank, June 10, 2008, http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/AFRICAEXT/0,,contentMDK:21812910~menuPK:2098867~pagePK:64002643~piPK:64002619~theSitePK:258644,00.html. 7. See IMF, “International Financial Statistics,” Web site, http://www.imfstatistics.org/imf/; UN Development Programme, “Human Development Reports,” Web site, http://hdr.undp.org/en/; UN World Food Programme, “Annual Report,” Web site, http://www.wfp.org/policy-resources/corporate?type=37&tid_2=All&tid_4=All. 8. Makau Wa Mutua, “African Renaissance,” New York Times, May 11, 1991, p. 23. 9. See Freedom House, “Freedom in the World,” Web site, http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=15. 10. Kenneth Good, “The Illusion of Democracy in Botswana,” in Larry Diamond, Larry Jay, and Marc F. Plattner, eds., Democratization in Africa: Progress and Retreat (Baltimore, Md.: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2010), p. 293. 11. See “A Runaway Army,” Africa Confidential 50, no. 9 (April 30, 2010), pp. 10–11, http://www.africa-confidential.com/article/id/3511/A-runaway-army and Adam Nossiter, “Former Exile Holds Power in West African Nation,” New York Times, May 25, 2010, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/26/world/africa/26bissau.html. 12. See Afrobarometer, “Neither Consolidating Nor Fully Democratic: The Evolution of African Political Regimes, 1999–2008,” Briefing Paper no.67, p. 2, http://www.afrobarometer.org/papers/AfrobriefNo67_19may09_final.pdf. 13. Jason Mclure, “Why Democracy Isn't Working,” Newsweek, July 5, 2010, http://www.newsweek.com/2010/06/18/why-democracy-isn-t-working.html. 14. “South Africa: Mbeki Laments Africa's Slip to the Sidelines,” Africannewslive.com, May 28, 2010, http://africannewslive.com/?p=5062. 15. Fund for Peace, “Failed States Index,” Web site, 2010, http://www.fundforpeace.org/web/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=99&Itemid=140. 16. See UN Office on Drugs and Crime, “Transnational Trafficking in West Africa: A Threat Assessment,” July 7, 2009, http://img.modernghana.com/images/content/report_content/westafricareport2009.pdf. 17. See “Piracy Could Spread to Other Parts of Africa: Radebe,” South African Press Association, May 25, 2010, http://www.timeslive.co.za/africa/article469446.ece/Piracy-could-spread-to-other-parts-of-Africa-Radebe. 18. Werner Menges, “Heroes’ Monument Losing Battle,” The Nambian, May 6, 2005, http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=28&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=17897&no_cache=1. 19. See Commission for Africa, “2005 Report,” http://www.commissionforafrica.info/2005-report. 20. See Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, International Development Statistics, Web site, http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/50/17/5037721.htm. 21. Yunus Abdulhamid, “Group Wants Action On Climate Change By Africa Leaders,” AllAfrica.com, June 8, 2010, http://allafrica.com/stories/201006080660.html. 22. Elaine Ganley, “Mandela Asks African Renaissance, and Good Government,” Associated Press, June 13, 1994. 23. See George B.N. Ayittey, Africa Unchained: The Blueprint for Africa's Future (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006). 24. See Edwin Musoni, “Citizens Know What is Best for Them – Kagame,” AllAfrica.com, July 31, 2010. 25. Elias Biryabarema, “Museveni Succession—What Next After Museveni?,” All Africa News Service, January 31, 2008. 26. See Goran Hyden, African Politics in Comparative Perspective (Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press, 2005). 27. Jeffrey Herbst, States and Power in Africa: Comparative Lessons in Authority and Control (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2000), p. 257. 28. Zibani Maundeni, “Why the African Renaissance Is Likely to Fail: The Case of Zimbabwe,” Journal of Modern African Studies 22, no. 2 (2004):195. 29. Se Mark Gevisser, A Legacy of Liberation: Thabo Mbeki and the Future of the South African Dream (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009). 30. See World Bank, “Toward the Competitive Frontier: Strategies for Improving Ethiopia's Investment Climate,” Report No. 48472-ET, June 2009, http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTETHIOPIA/Data%20and%20Reference/22432643/Et-ICA-10-June-09.pdf and World Bank, “Capturing the Demographic Bonus in Ethiopia: Gender, Development, and Demographic Actions,” Report No. 36434-ET, June 2007. 31. Leonard Barnes, African Renaissance (London: Gollancz, 1969), p. 10. 32. Johnnie Carson, “U.S. Policy in Sub-Saharan Africa,” testimony before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, Washington, D.C., March 24, 2010, http://www.state.gov/p/af/rls/rm/2010/139002.htm. 33. Susan D. Page, “U.S.–South Africa Strategic Dialogue,” African Affairs Special Briefings, Washington, D.C., April 14, 2010, http://www.state.gov/p/af/rls/spbr/2010/140260.htm. 34. See Stephen D. Krasner, “Sharing Sovereignty,” International Security 29, no. 2 (Fall 2004): 85–120. 35. “FACTBOX: African leaders’ French Assets Under Scrutiny,” Reuters, October 29, 2009, http://af.reuters.com/article/gabonNews/idAFLS66793620091029. 36. IMF, “IMF and World Bank Announce Debt Relief to the Republic of Congo,” press release no. 10/20, January 28, 2010, http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr1020.htm. 37. See Kathleen M. Fallon, Democracy and the Rise of Women's Movements in Sub-Saharan Africa (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008). 38. See Daniel Etounga-Manguelle, L'Afrique A-t-Elle Besoin d'un Programme d'Ajustement Culturel? [Does Africa Need a Cultural Adjustment Program?] (Ivry-sur-Seine, France: Editions Nouvelles du Sud, 1990). Additional informationNotes on contributorsBruce GilleyBruce Gilley is assistant professor of political science in the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University and is the author of The Right to Rule: How States Win and Lose Legitimacy (Columbia University Press, 2009)

Erratum: Grassroots initiatives

Nature 466 (suppl.), S20 (2010) This Outlook article contained some errors: the UN World Food Programme is a partner with, not a donor to, the Global Health Committee. The Zahara Children’s Center is not open yet. Sok Thim has not had tuberculosis.

Powerhouse of Ideas: The United Nations Intellectual History Project

Development Policy ReviewVolume 28, Issue 4 p. 503-507 Powerhouse of Ideas: The United Nations Intellectual History Project D. J. Shaw, D. J. Shaw Former economic adviser and chief, Policy Affairs Service, UN World Food Programme and consultant to FAO, the World Bank and the Commonwealth Secretariat (djohnshawuk@aol.com).Search for more papers by this author D. J. Shaw, D. J. Shaw Former economic adviser and chief, Policy Affairs Service, UN World Food Programme and consultant to FAO, the World Bank and the Commonwealth Secretariat (djohnshawuk@aol.com).Search for more papers by this author First published: 01 June 2010 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-7679.2010.00494.xAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Volume28, Issue4July 2010Pages 503-507 RelatedInformation

Food Insecurity in Orissa

The UN World Food Programme and the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) earlier collaborated in analyzing the food insecurity situation in different states in the country India. Using chosen indicators to map the relative standing of states with regard to food security, MSSRF and WFP prepared the Food Insecurity Atlas of Rural India in 2001. This was followed by the Food Insecurity Atlas of Urban India in 2002. The third in the series, the Atlas of Sustainability of Food Security was launched in 2004. Following the path breaking national level atlases, it was decided to extend the analysis to the district level, the level at which food security interventions are implemented. This paper is an abstract finding from this series of report only.

Maternal and child undernutrition: an urgent opportunity

Nutrition is a desperately neglected aspect of maternal, newborn, and child health. The reasons for this neglect are understandable but not justifiable. When one considers specific actions to improve maternal and child survival, one is drawn to particular interventions—vaccination, oral rehydration therapy, and the treatment of infection and haemorrhage. In recent years, this portfolio of responses has broadened to embrace the health system—human resources, financing, and stewardship. Somehow, nutrition has slipped through the gap. The challenge of hungerWith climate change and health crises rightfully receiving international attention, the time has come to focus on hunger as a top priority. WHO regards hunger and malnutrition as the gravest threat to public health, and climate change threatens to further destabilise already fragile food-production systems. Thus the UN World Food Programme (WFP) welcomes this Lancet Series on undernutrition. Full-Text PDF Nutrition interventions need improved operational capacityThe Lancet's Child Survival Series was a galvanising manifesto: it focused action plans to improve the well-being of children worldwide. However, the authors did not address in detail1 the importance of nutrition in child survival,2 and thus the current Undernutrition Series was born. This welcome new Series focuses on micronutrient interventions and stunting as manifestations of a poor diet, and comprehensively catalogues the topic from a multiplicity of datasets and viewpoints. Full-Text PDF Robert Black: time to tackle undernutritionRobert Black, who has spent more than 30 years in child health, has never really understood why the clear link between poor diet and disease has not long ago been taken up as a major global cause. Malnutrition directly underlies a vast amount of child deaths as well as poor growth, disease, and disability among those who survive. But it has been hard to get nutrition the priority it deserves. “I have worked my whole career on child survival issues”, said Black, who is Edgar Berman Professor in International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, MD, USA. Full-Text PDF Maternal and child undernutrition: global and regional exposures and health consequencesMaternal and child undernutrition is highly prevalent in low-income and middle-income countries, resulting in substantial increases in mortality and overall disease burden. In this paper, we present new analyses to estimate the effects of the risks related to measures of undernutrition, as well as to suboptimum breastfeeding practices on mortality and disease. We estimated that stunting, severe wasting, and intrauterine growth restriction together were responsible for 2·2 million deaths and 21% of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for children younger than 5 years. Full-Text PDF