May 14, 2022

Five specialized agencies of the United Nations Organization (UN) launched a joint work plan that seeks to offer healthy and accessible diets from sustainable food systems, since each year unhealthy food causes “11 million deaths and 420,000 more people die from consuming harmful foods”.

The World Health Organization (WHO), the Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Program (WFP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Environment Program (UNEP) they will seek to “transform food systems with the intention of improving health, nutrition and environmental sustainability”.

Some 3 billion people cannot afford healthy food y poor diet is linked to six of the top ten risk factors for the global burden of disease, explained the members of the Action Coalition for Healthy Diets, made up of the five multilateral agencies.

The desnutrition constitutes a violation of the human right to food and continues to generate social and health inequalities,” they added.

y poor diet is linked to six of the top ten risk factors for the global burden of disease.

“The Coalition will support countries to achieve their goals for human health and environmental sustainability, thus achieving a true victory for people, climate and nature,” said the WFP.

The agencies recalled that health, nutrition and environmental sustainability must be “Basic Pillars of Food Systems Transformation” and that the healthy diets “promote health and prevent disease”but for its consumption to become widespread it is necessary that the groceries “are available, accessible and attractive to all”.

In turn, these foods need to are produced and distributed methodicallyI know what ensure a decent job y protect the planet, soil, water and biodiversity.

The coalition’s vision is to “mobilize and support collective action towards the goal of all people consuming healthy diets from sustainable food systems.”

Three pillars of the project

The work plan consists of three key points: mobilize and coordinate knowledge for orchestrated action on food systems in a way that has positive impact at the country level; facilitate learning between countries; y manage special projects, according to the priorities of each country, to integrate the spheres of nutrition, health and sustainability through food.

The expected result is to achieve a collective impact on healthy diets produced by sustainable food systems, promote healthy living and well-being, reduce non-communicable diseases, improve maternal and child health, promote responsible consumption and production, and take urgent action to combat climate change.

The coalition was formed following the UN Summit on Food Systems, held in 2021, and brings together Member States, UN agencies, civil society organisations, academic institutions and social movements.