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Cabinet officials

"Transforming Food Systems: A Call to Action for Urgent Action"

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

As we approach the 2025 milestone, the world is still struggling to meet its commitments to address hunger, poverty, and sustainability. The road to 2030 is narrowing, and every delay in transforming food systems threatens to exacerbate the existing challenges. The United Nations Secretary-General emphasized the need for bold choices, sharp focus, and relentless drive to tackle the complex issues surrounding food systems. The key lies in unlocking finance, mobilizing public and private capital, and redirecting public spending toward sustainable and equitable food systems.

Key Takeaways:

  • Fifty-two developing countries face crippling debt, while skyrocketing food prices are crushing the poorest families, highlighting the urgent need for financial assistance.
  • Ninety per cent of smallholder farmers, who are the backbone of food systems, remain cut off from formal, affordable finance, perpetuating their vulnerability.
  • The cost of inaction is staggering, with hunger deepening, poverty rising, and the ripple effects eroding global stability, making transformation a necessary step.
  • Decisive political leadership, smarter public financing, and aligned policies are crucial to drive food systems transformation, leveraging every available tool and instrument to mobilize and multiply finance.
  • The 2023 UNFSS+2 Call to Action's $15 billion commitment over two years has been surpassed, with $17.8 billion disbursed in 2023 alone, setting a precedent for future coordination and collaboration.

Statistics:

  • $52 billion: the crippling debt faced by 52 developing countries
  • 90%: the percentage of smallholder farmers cut off from formal, affordable finance
  • $15 billion: the initial commitment from the 2023 UNFSS+2 Call to Action
  • $17.8 billion: the amount disbursed in 2023 alone
  • $300 to $400 billion: the estimated additional annual needed by 2030
  • 0.5%: the anticipated global GDP impact of the proposed investment
  • $800 billion: the estimated annual amount wasted on harmful subsidies

Sources:

  • The speech by the United Nations Secretary-General
  • The UNFSS+2 Call to Action
  • The United Nations News (http://milnz.co.nz/mil-osi-aggregation/) - Copyright 2025 Multimedia Investments Ltd, distributed by Contify.com

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