The 2014–2015 Global Food Policy Report

The 2014–2015 Global Food Policy Report (GFPR) calls for a renewed focus on Middle-income countries (MICs). The report perceives that the international community cannot realise its ambitious international agenda of achieving zero hunger and malnutrition without a renewed focus on MICs. The fact that these countries have increased both their economic resources and their government capacities over the last two decades is a major boon to the development effort but not yet a victory, notes report.

According to the report, the “missing middle,” tend not to either benefit from or contribute to the rapid economic growth that is characteristic of many MICs. For instance, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, and Mexico may be rising economic powerhouses, but these five fast-growing, middle income countries are still home to nearly half of the world’s hungry. Likewise, in each of these countries, overnutrition in the form of overweight and obesity is high or rising.

The report therefore calls on governments of middle income countries to reshape their food systems to focus on nutrition and health, close the gender gap in agriculture, and improve rural infrastructure to ensure food security for all.

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(IFPRI/Ob)