G7 Food Systems Initiative: Empty promises will lead to more empty plates
World Vision warns that the G7 Summit Apulia Food Systems Initiative, announced today, will be another grand gesture that flounders because of a lack of adequate investment.
Speaking from Apulia, World Vision International's Senior Advisor on Food Security and Nutrition, Andrea Galante, said that the ongoing food and nutrition crisis makes the G7 leaders’ announcement crucial for millions of children, yet casts doubt on whether their words would be matched by funds.
“We applaud the G7 leaders’ intention to fix broken food systems and their acknowledgement of the devastating lifelong physical, psychological and social effects on children of stunting and wasting. But where will funding come from for this colossal effort? Unlike last year, this time around leaders have pledged nothing for humanitarian aid.
“We are currently seeing food rations decreasing due to funding cuts—these are exacerbating the horrendous effects of child hunger and malnutrition. No one doubts G7 leaders’ good intentions, but we have seen too many grand announcements from the G7 that have ultimately faltered due to insufficient financial backing.”
The G7 communiqué revealed that the leaders are launching a G7 Apulia Food Systems Initiative to intensify efforts to overcome structural barriers to food security and nutrition, and to build resilient, sustainable, and productive agriculture and food systems.
This includes enhancing the sustainability and productivity of local, regional, and global supply chains, and addressing discriminatory rules and norms that affect gender equality. The statement adds that the initiative aims to leverage multi-stakeholder partnerships to advance ambitious programs on the ground and harness the full potential of food systems.
Ms Galante added, “At a time of numerous global crises, it is easy for G7 nations to get distracted, but given that, last year, 258 million people in 58 countries faced extreme hunger, the initiative announced today must become their number one priority.”
ENDS
For more information or an interview with Andrea Galante, contact Mr Jan Butter on +44 (0)7889400889 in the UK. Read World Vision’s latest report Ration Cuts: Taking from the hungry to feed the starving here
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organisation dedicated to working with children, families and their communities to reach their full potential by tackling the root causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. For more information, please visit www.wvi.org or follow us on Twitter @WorldVision
Through World Vision’s Global Hunger Response and ENOUGH campaign, the organisation is responding to the immediate needs of the most vulnerable girls, boys, and their families who are experiencing acute hunger in 28 countries of highest alert where World Vision operates, highlighting the driving factors and impacts of hunger, malnutrition, and food insecurity on children globally, and advocating to governments and donors to do more to prevent mass starvation.