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Malnutrition in South Sudan

Malnutrition in South SudanSouth Sudan is believed to have one of the highest malnutrition rates among children, with an unsettling rate of 1.4 million. This problem extends to adults, as shown by the estimation that 7.8 million adults face food insecurity at some level. What makes the situation in South Sudan unique is that these are the highest levels of malnutrition in its history, making the nation a top priority for global aid agencies in the past years.

About Malnutrition

Malnutrition is a serious issue directly correlated to extreme poverty, making access to basic necessities like food essential when supporting developing nations. Tremendous steps have been taken in the global fight against malnutrition, largely driven by foreign aid. Foreign aid enables developing countries to invest in sustainable agriculture, ensuring food security until they can establish self-sustaining systems.

Efforts to combat malnutrition often start with direct food assistance, followed by investments in sustainable agriculture. While this approach is generally effective, some countries face external challenges that hinder progress, such as natural disasters and conflicts, which disrupt food production and distribution.

What Makes South Sudan’s Situation Different

South Sudan faces external challenges that complicate the fight against malnutrition, with one of the primary issues being widespread flooding. The region has endured severe flooding for several years, resulting in extensive damage. Areas affected by these floods often experience high levels of malnutrition.

The flooding hampers foreign aid efforts by preventing resources from reaching certain areas. For malnutrition, the issue lies in the inability of crops to produce sufficient yields. The combination of these problems makes the whole situation much harder to control. Another thing making things harder for South Sudan is the recent war. War has displaced millions of people in South Sudan, making the problem harder to track and keep control over.

Organizations Helping

The combined efforts of major organizations such as the World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have helped with damage control. WFP has supported more than 600,000 people in South Sudan with fortified biscuits, cash transfers and nutrition support for children and mothers.

Similarly, UNICEF has responded to the needs of people affected and displaced by floods by providing them with basic supplies, such as soap, drugs and education materials. The organization has also strengthened local communities’ flood resilience and preparedness efforts, “including pre-positioning supplies during the dry season when roads are still accessible.”

Conclusion

Addressing malnutrition in South Sudan requires sustained international support and innovative solutions to overcome the country’s unique challenges. While foreign aid and humanitarian organizations have played a crucial role in providing immediate relief, long-term strategies such as improving flood resilience, strengthening food security and restoring stability remain essential. As South Sudan continues to face the highest malnutrition rates in its history, ongoing global efforts will be vital in ensuring that vulnerable populations receive the necessary resources to survive and build a more sustainable future.

– Kaleb Monteith

Kaleb is based in Greeley, CO, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Sunny Days: Renewable Energy in Zimbabwe

Renewable Energy in ZimbabweAggressively changing weather patterns intensified the El Niño season in 2024, bringing a period of drought to the country of Zimbabwe. Already one of the countries susceptible to agricultural hardships, Zimbabwe is especially affected, making food security a top concern among the country’s leaders. The Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Anxious Jongwe Masuka, urged immediate action and intervention in an attempt to prevent further hunger due to crop loss, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Looking at current initiatives for the future, it is evident that renewable energy in Zimbabwe is a preferred method for addressing the dilemma of agricultural struggles.

How Renewable Energy in Zimbabwe Can Address Hunger

The fight against the looming hunger and poverty crisis begins with the calculated cultivation and preservation of integral crops. FAO reports the most recent drought has shown a 77% reduction in cereal crops; 26% in soybeans, 74% in cotton and 89% in sunflowers. Stover, a primary source of livestock diet, is also suffering a sharp dip in growth thanks to the dry El Niño season. To combat the challenges that the drought brought on, Zimbabwe is focusing on a renewable energy-reliant future, which offers a hopeful solution for long-term success.

The plans took shape in March 2024 when the United Nations announced a partnership with the Zimbabwean government, focusing resources on renewable energy solutions and establishing the Renewable Energy Fund. Mr. Edward Kallon, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator associated with the program, observed that putting resources into renewable energy in Zimbabwe would not only protect the environment, but it would also create jobs and instigate economic development. With an initial investment of $45 million USD, the country set the precedent that it is serious about being proactive in improving its economic and environmental future. As the partnership moves forward, one area of focus seems to stand above the rest: solar power.

Solar Power Initiatives in Zimbabwe

According to the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF), Zimbabwe receives plenty of solar irradiation each day and 3,000 hours of sunshine per year. Solar grids running off of this energy accumulation will allow for refrigeration, lighting, device charging and more. This will not only allow the extended storage of cultivated crops, but it will also provide opportunities for ongoing education, which then compounds the improvement of the agricultural system. Improvements have already occurred in many areas across the country. 

Ongoing efforts in the town of Gwanda exemplify solar power as a tangible solution in the dilemma of crop loss. Prior to current initiatives, defunct irrigation systems were not being maintained, leaving them inoperable. To make matters worse, the farmers were not educated in the storage and distribution of water for crop management. Practical Action, an international development organization working in Zimbabwe since 2011, found success through an active project that involves installing solar-powered water pumps. This new tool has allowed farmers to cultivate more land, effectively stabilizing the food supply.

With extra cultivation capabilities, the farmers are able to produce enough crops to feed themselves as well as selling the excess. Along with training farmers in water conservation techniques, Practical Action also provides education on maintenance processes, allowing them to keep the solar-powered water pumps working well into the future. An added bonus is that a solar-powered mini-grid, that can also provide electricity for schools, hospitals and businesses as the community develops, energizes these water pumps.

Looking Ahead

Though the future seems straightforward, there are still obstacles to overcome. According to the AECF, projects similar to these tend to lack the project financing needed to get the ball rolling. When they do make it past this first hurdle, their steam tends to dissipate due to improperly focused investments paired with minimal skills in maintenance.

However, with Zimbabwe’s newly refocused emphasis on energy stability and allocated funds dedicated to long-term success, the country has the opportunity to truly shine in its agricultural and economic progress. With broad opportunities for renewable energy in Zimbabwe including solar, wind and biomass power, this developing country has ample resources and the definitive tools that will allow it to overcome its agricultural obstacles and enter a brighter future. 

– Jacob Christopher

Jacob is based in Granite Falls, NC, USA and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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How the WFP Is Supporting Food Systems in Ukraine

eFood Systems in UkraineEntering 2025, one of the largest questions facing the West is how much more aid is going to be sent to Ukraine, as while the U.K. and other European states have remained steadfast in their support for Kiev, America’s change in administration has presented fresh uncertainty regarding Ukraine’s future support. For nearly three years now, Ukraine has relied on Western aid as a lifeblood in its defense against Russia’s invasion. However, President-elect Trump has made no hard promises to continue this policy. Ukraine is at risk of losing its largest financial and military donor at a crucial stage in this conflict.

For Ukrainians directly impacted by this war, the situation looks increasingly bleak as almost 4 million internally displaced refugees are still in need of humanitarian assistance since this conflict destroyed their homes and livelihoods. However, thanks to the World Food Programme (WFP), a sustainable method of delivering aid has helped streamline deliverance of humanitarian aid. This streamlining has helped maintain food systems in Ukraine and protect the increasing amount of refugees from food insecurity.

Ukraine: An Agricultural Superpower

Often referred to as “the Breadbasket of Europe,” Ukraine has a rich history as an agricultural superpower. Its fertile soil and flat ground create some of the best land on earth for farming, and have allowed Ukraine to become one of the largest exporters of grain in the world, making Ukrainian culture synonymous with the agricultural industry. But when Russia invaded in 2022, there were interruptions in exports of grain. The country’s major outlets in the Black Sea were either captured by the Russian army or blockaded by its navy. The actions significantly disrupted the food systems in Ukraine.

According to the Centre For Strategic & International Studies, 90% of Ukraine’s 60 million metric tons in food exports came from Black sea ports before the war, hence why the Russians were so quick to extinguish this economic asset. This not only had a catastrophic effect on global food prices, which rose by 13% at the war’s outset, but threatens the livelihood of thousands of farmers who have depended on Ukraine’s exports of grain for generations.

While there was some hope in 2023 when Russia, Ukraine and Turkey agreed on a shipping corridor under the Black Sea Grain Initiative, allowing exports to return close to their pre-war numbers, this agreement has since been violated by the Russian Navy, as the Kremlin continues to squeeze Ukraine’s ability to economically fund its defense. So, while Ukraine has sought to export its produce through other means, such as through overland borders via solidarity trade routes that the EU has drawn out, Ukrainian rural communities have perhaps had the largest indirect impact since the start of the war. 

WFP’s Work to Address Food Systems in Ukraine

Traditionally, the humanitarian aid that the WFP has given out has come from a range of sources, such as the international market and regional assets. But since the start of the war, the WFP has adjusted its tactics so that 82% of the resources going to Ukraine are sourced locally. Not only has this ensured that the millions of internally displaced refugees are not food insecure, but it has meant that rural communities get an injection of $1.3 billion into the economy. Additionally, these communities are able to survive the economic hardships attached to a Russian trade embargo. This ensures the future of the Ukrainian rural economy not only survives but can also recover quickly after the conflict ends.

By sourcing products locally, it reduces the need to transport large amounts of aid from other major exporting nations such as the U.S. or China. Not only does this cut down on costs that can be reinvested into further aid, but it also cuts down on the country’s carbon footprint, as trucks and trains can be used instead of large cargo planes that emit thousands of metric tons of carbon over multiple flights. The food undergoes distribution through the Ukrainian Government, either through the Ministry of Education and providing free school meals that help protect Ukraine’s future generations, or by helping coordinate emergency telecommunication services for quick action response.

Other Initiatives

The WFP is further helping rural communities by removing mines in the Kharkiv region, an area that the conflict has disproportionately affected. By engaging with rural communities, the WFP has been able to both clear mines, and teach proper mine clearance techniques that can be distributed to the rural community, ensuring the risk to food systems in Ukraine is reduced and Ukrainian farmers have protection from collateral damage. As well as sourcing locally, the WFP can create a sustainable economy, as well as a more sustainable environment.

Replicating WFP’s Work in Other Countries

This model of sourcing aid locally is not always easy to replicate in other areas of food deprivation. Ukraine is a uniquely fertile country. As a net exporter, the country is less reliant on foreign imports for food security than other nations with lower agricultural output. A country such as Sudan, which is currently in the midst of a full scale civil war, has had a history of food insecurity before the conflict began, so it’s unrealistic that more than 80% of aid can be sourced from local producers.

Equally, the WFP has limited access to certain areas in need of humanitarian aid, so purchasing locally becomes near impossible. Afghanistan, for example, has an estimated 14.8 million people living without food security, yet the WFP is powerless to help due to the isolationist policies the Taliban government is currently undergoing. However, the WFP has proven that streamlining the deliverance of aid with local produce can create sustainable benefits that can establish long term growth for local food systems. 

Looking Ahead

With local producers sourcing just above 40% of global aid, there is definitely room for improvement as the multiple benefits speak for itself. The same model currently being used in Ukraine can be replicated in other states struggling with significant numbers of refugees. Economic investment and food security are crucial to ensuring a nation can recover sustainably after a conflict. In an interview, one Ukrainian farmer said that “food security means national security,“ the WFP understands this, and by continuing to locally source its humanitarian aid, growth in the economy and national security can be accelerated and sustainably achieved in other nations facing conflict and abject poverty.

– Caspian Davies

Caspian is based in London, UK  and focuses on Business and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Malnutrition in Madagascar

malnutrition in madagascarMadagascar is a large, rural island country and has a relatively young population, with 41% of citizens aged 15 years and under. The predominant public health issue in Madagascar is malnutrition, with the region fourth highest in the world in terms of its rates of chronic malnutrition. Approximately 50% of the Madagascan population has stunted growth, a key indicator of chronic malnutrition.

Natural Disasters and Malnutrition

Madagascar is highly susceptible to extreme weather patterns, with an average of three natural disasters per year occurring, according to USAID. Studies indicate that natural disasters impact approximately 5 million people, with a further 8.8 million facing food insecurity. Natural disasters cause flooding, spread disease, and are one of the key precipitators of malnutrition in Madagascar, USAID reports.

Recently in 2022, Madagascar experienced two life-threatening cyclones – Batsirai and Emnati – which decimated infrastructure and destroyed crops through wind and flooding which significantly diminished living conditions The Batsirai and Emnati cyclones wiped out crops through high winds and devastating floods, with the majority of crops destroyed in areas hit by the cyclones. This significantly reduced the accessibility, availability and capacity of agricultural fields, food supply and production, resulting in food insecurity and malnutrition.

Floods also cause a spike in diarrheal infections as they increase the frequency of water parasites, according to Harvard T.H. Chan. Contamination of rivers as a result of flooding means that infections such as diarrhea and malaria are highly prevalent amongst rural populations, contributing to malnutrition as people do not have the resources to eat well following infection. In 2022 alone, 19,195 children aged 5 years and under were malnourished in Madagascar, according to Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSF).

Frequent Disruption of Agriculture

Natural disasters in Madagascar are recurring, and so is malnutrition. The frequent disruption of agricultural fields and contamination of water culminates in extreme hunger, with very few people able to access hospitals or obtain medicine.

In the South of Madagascar, 340,000 children could be experiencing malnutrition in some form as a result of extreme drought. Precipitation in Southern Madagascar has been decreasing for the last two decades and researchers have predicted that drought will continue to increase in intensity, duration and rate of occurrence, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The constant lack of rainfall has disastrous implications on agriculture and food supply, with dried-out fields and vegetables common. The U.N. has found that many people have adopted coping mechanisms to subsist the drought, such as selling assets, cattle and houses in exchange for food and resources. According to UNICEF, 115,000 children in the Southeastern areas of Madagascar have acute malnutrition and require treatment.

Effects of Malnutrition

After 24 months of chronic malnutrition, the physical and psychological implications are irreversible. The effects of malnutrition on children include stunted growth, anemia, cognitive impairment and depleted resistance to disease. These effects are prolonged and will impact affected people for life, such as depleting the ability to concentrate and having a low height for their age. Those struggling with malnutrition may also have low energy levels, making it more difficult to attend school or work. As a result, their life prosperity is impaired and their already limited access to opportunity is limited further.

Fighting Malnutrition in Madagascar

The World Food Program (WFP) is helping to alleviate malnutrition in Madagascar through a series of support programs. Namely, the WFP supplies emergency food assistance to those who have experienced crises such as natural disasters like flooding and drought. It functions in the South and Southeast of Madagascar and aims to promote community building and help people prepare for emergencies.

To support regions vulnerable to natural disasters, the WFP provides short-cycle farming activities, cash transfers and disaster-resistant seed. The organization also distributes climate-related warnings to inform people of how and when to respond to natural disasters.

Additionally, the WFP offers technical and practical training and workshops that enhance the capabilities of communities across the country. It also issues national authorities with equipment to help in the event of an emergency. These schemes help to prepare communities for likely natural disasters so that they have the resources to survive and be properly nourished following climate changes such as floods and drought. In doing so, measures are in place to prevent malnutrition caused by natural disasters.

The WFP also supplies nutritional information and support to 42,000 children, pregnant women and breastfeeding women through the MIARO approach. This aims to act as a preventive measure for malnutrition, as the project offers feeding and activities that educate on market gardening and nutrition. This project strives to enhance community knowledge, access and availability of nourishing food and ameliorate malnutrition.

– Ella Dorman

Ella is based in Worcestershire, UK and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Food Systems in Italy: Poverty, Insecurity and Hope

Food Systems in ItalyCurrently, the food system in Italy is failing many of its citizens. This will come as a surprise to many due to the nation being almost synonymous with good food and a lifestyle that is centered around it. Due to many factors, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent aggressive position of Russia’s shocking supply chains, the weakness of food systems in Italy has been exposed, as those at risk of food poverty or food insecurity stand at 22.3% of the population. It is an alarming statistic for a world leader in many metrics. 

The Fuzzy Approach

Various factors, including food insecurity, contribute to the lack of prosperity and poverty worldwide. Addressing poverty is inexplicably complex due to this multitude of factors. While focusing on a specific aspect, such as food poverty, might suggest a more straightforward solution, this view overlooks the broader, interconnected challenges and could be misguided. In addressing this complexity, the fuzzy approach attempts to more accurately analyze food systems and capture the existence of food poverty through an expenditure side metric.

Advocates of this innovative approach suggest that it offers more excellent results and insights than traditional binary set theory. The study utilizes data from an Italian Household Budget Survey of 2021, highlighting how current initiatives could be improved in creating stronger food systems in Italy to combat food poverty and insecurity. 

Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty

In November 2024, Italy voluntarily joined the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. The Alliance hopes to eradicate hunger and poverty by supporting and reinforcing national political efforts to provide secure food to citizens, ameliorating global food systems. The Alliance has two “High-level Objectives,” seeking to sustain political drive by spurring collective agency between existing and emerging organizations and initiatives. It also wishes to improve mobilization and coherence between domestic and international efforts. 

By committing to the Alliance, Italy has taken a crucial step to addressing food insecurity within its borders. Formally, Italy recognizes and acknowledges the growing prevalence of people facing food insecurity because of continuous structural poverty and inequality. In doing so, Italy also commits to the Alliance’s processes to address this issue, such as large-scale unified approaches transcending international, regional, national and local geographies. 

Regarding domestic policy, Italy will, to the best of its abilities, “implement, improve and/or scale up” a range of policy initiatives, programs and instruments from the Alliance’s policy basket. 

Domestic Policies

The following policies were already in place before Italy joined the Alliance. However, they will now be upgraded for a more significant impact. One newly initiated program is the Social Card, Dedicata a te (“Dedicated to You“). Initially implemented on July 18, 2023, the program was further strengthened in September 2024, reflecting Italy’s continued commitment to alleviating poverty within the country.

The budget for the program has risen, which, according to Fisco e Tasse, will result in an increase of families receiving the social card, from 1.2 million in 2023 to 1.33 million this year. The increased budget will also mean an increase in the median value of the card from $478.69 to $521.45 per month (+8.9%). 

In 2023, 96% of the social card’s funds were spent on food products, with the remaining 4% on public transport. While the card is available for use other than alleviating food insecurity, the Italian public prioritizes its use for food. Globally, many are facing food insecurity, even in a “food-centric” country like Italy; it is inspiring to see policy initiatives such as the “Dedicated to You” even greater; it is not alone. 

Coffee Fund

Another key tenant to the Alliance’s process is the value of policy cooperation and support. This is most clearly highlighted through the Apulia Food Systems Initiative (AFSI) 2024, launched in June by leaders of the G7. The key deliverable in this instance is the communication and support between member countries to enhance each member’s ability to alleviate food poverty. 

Italy, through the AFSI, has announced a private-public fund for coffee. The Global Private-Public Coffee Fund seeks to support initiatives that strengthen coffee’s supply chain and minimize the industry’s shocks due to climate instability. To do so, the fund wishes to coordinate between existing efforts, thus sharing knowledge and resources and investing in research, technology development and infrastructure. 

It further seeks to protect smaller businesses that make up the majority of the producing industry through “equitable value distribution” throughout the entire chain of supply.

Hope for the Future

While it may seem troubling that a rich, developed and food-centric country such as Italy is struggling to alleviate food poverty, significant progress is being made through various initiatives and programs. The Fuzzy analysis provides an in-depth understanding of food insecurity at a national and sub-national level. A greater understanding of the patterns of food poverty will aid initiatives seeking to improve food systems in Italy and abroad, such as the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. 

The increased communication, awareness and mobilization that resulted from AFSI and its umbrella organizations and initiatives highlight the positives of the human spirit and our willingness to provide all with just and fair access to food. 

– Laughlin Moeller

Laughlin is based in London, UK and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels

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Organizations Fighting Cuba’s Food Shortages

Cuba’s Food ShortagesCubans are now struggling more than ever to put food on the table, with 12.8% of the population failing to consume their daily calorie intake in 2023 and 37.8% categorized as “food insecure.” Only 15% of the population has the economic means to justify eating three meals a day. This was in the context of great economic turmoil last year, with a 30% inflation rate, a 2% fall in gross domestic product (GDP) and limited foreign currency making it almost impossible for the government to import products. This presented a grave problem, given that, at that moment, the subsidized food packages provided by the government consisted almost entirely of imports. Cuba’s food shortages remain the main concern among the population, ranking higher than topics such as energy blackouts and wages.

How Has the Cuban Government Responded?

The Cuban government rationing system of basic foodstuff has been in operation since the early ’60s to protect against U.S. sanctions. However, due to recent struggles to import food products, rations have been reduced, with bread allocation reducing 25% to just 60 grams. The authorities also proposed further price controls on some essential products to keep prices low.

However, it was warned that this would worsen food shortages, with businesses threatening to stop trading under the new rules. Thus, Cuba was forced to ask the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) for help, as the government could not distribute flour and subsidized milk to children younger than 7.

WFP

Using food programs to foster peace and stability, the WFP is one of the main organizations fighting Cuba’s food shortages through school feeding schemes, agricultural support and disaster responses. These initiatives have had a massive scope, with the organization having helped more than “760,000 people with direct assistance and indirectly benefited 30,700 people with assets, capacity and services as well as 910,000 people through national policies and [programs].”

The WFP has achieved this through short-term solutions like food distribution and by emphasizing supporting Cuba in providing such services by itself. It worked on sustainable, locally led projects alongside farmers, linking them with school feeding schemes. Additionally, the WFP facilitated the “distribution of rice, grains, vegetable oil, micronutrient powders, blended fortified foods and milk to support authorities’ pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 2).”

Oxfam

Oxfam launched its “No More Blockade” campaign, arguing that this is key to fighting Cuba’s food shortages and political factors. The organization called on the Biden administration to recommit to normalizing relations between the U.S. and Cuba. It encouraged the Cuban government to adhere to its constitutional commitment to rights and freedoms and diversify its economy.

Oxfam also calls on the international community to advocate for more cooperation within Latin America and for the European Union to influence the U.S. government.

Care International

Having worked in Cuba since the late ’90s, supporting victims of food insecurity, CARE has carried out invaluable projects in Cuba, focusing on ensuring gender equality. In 2019, CARE International supported “farmers facing the effects of climate [instability] to restore lands and crops, oversaw quality of life and safe water programs in vulnerable communities and worked on sustainable agriculture.” Recently, CARE International, alongside local actors, provided aid and shelter during the energy blackouts.

Barnabas Aid and Give2Cuba

Give2Cuba and Barnabas Aid and are two more organizations fighting Cuba’s food shortages by providing aid. Barnabas Aid uses Christian church networks to distribute food products to the vulnerable, with its “food.gives” projects delivering containers of dried and dehydrated food products to the island.

Similarly, Give2Cuba, set up by Cuban Americans in 2010, provides food, medicine and cash and facilitates larger companies’ contribution to alleviating food scarcity in Cuba. Give2Cuba Houston carries out humanitarian relief trips, which “provides direct help to families, as well as work with trusted community leaders (such as clergy) to identify and reach the elderly and other vulnerable people.”

In 2023, the group raised $3000 for a feeding program in Matanzas, providing meals for 15 older adults. The organization hopes to fundraise $10,000 in 2025 to allow another 30 pensioners to be fed. Like Barnabas Aid, Give2Cuba has also coordinated a quick response to the blackouts and Storm Oscar, with teams sent to Cuba in the aftermath.

Final Note

The work of these international organizations fighting Cuba’s food shortages has been widespread and overwhelmingly positive. The focus of institutions like the WFP and Oxfam on long-term solutions so that Cuba can become self-sufficient by improving its agricultural productivity and building infrastructure is very important.

Although short-term aid and solutions are necessary and alleviate suffering, it is a focus on the future and dealing with these issues from the root that may bring Cuba closer to ending its fight against hunger and food insecurity. A combination of different approaches, alongside a more comprehensive governmental approach, will hopefully ease this food insecurity issue.

– Ciara Howard

Ciara is based in Brighton, UK and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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The Global Fight for Healthy Diets

Healthy DietsCurrently, 3 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet and the effects of COVID-19 on trade means more nutritious diets are becoming a luxury and a marker of global economic inequality. The global fight for healthy diets ties in with the battle to eradicate poverty and is now at the forefront of campaigns by international institutions and charities.

Recent Causes: COVID-19 and Inflation

International institutions such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and U.N. agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) continuously recommend how countries can promote healthier diets. However, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on trade and inflation meant the most impoverished could not afford a healthy diet. In 2021, the average cost of a healthy diet was 4.3% higher than in 2020 and 6.7% higher than in 2019. This meant that 42% of the world’s population could not afford a healthy diet in 2021, an increase of 134 million people compared to 2019.

Although most countries experienced a rebound in gross domestic product (GDP) after the pandemic, the unequal pattern of economic recovery means lower-middle-income countries continue to face a rise in the cost of a healthy diet. The Food Standards Agency in the U.K. found that COVID-19 triggered many British citizens to prepare healthy main meals. However, the pandemic did not change attitudes toward healthy eating in 12 other countries, where 90% of the population cannot afford a nutritious diet consistently.

In Africa, 78% of people cannot afford a healthy diet, compared to just 1% in North America and Europe. The impact of COVID-19 on developing countries has reinforced the need for international institutions to intensify efforts in promoting healthy diets through campaigns and collaborative initiatives.

U.N. and WHO 

The U.N. and WHO have collaborated extensively in the global fight for healthy diets. In 2021, they established the Coalition of Action for Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems for All (HDSFS) to promote sustainable food systems that support healthy diets.

Additionally, the School Meals Coalition was launched to ensure that every child in need has access to at least one nutritious school meal by 2030. Both coalitions focus on improving the food supply chain, enhancing the affordability and appeal of nutritious foods and educating families about the benefits of a healthy diet.

GAIN

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is a Swiss-based foundation focusing on reducing global malnutrition through sustainable and affordable solutions. In 2018, the foundation partnered with local authorities in Indonesia to enhance the domestic fish supply. The following year, it collaborated with Kaduna State in Nigeria on the “Eggs Make Kids” campaign. The organization has made remarkable strides in combating global hunger, impacting more than one billion people worldwide by promoting and providing access to healthy diets.

Bloomberg Philanthropies

Bloomberg Philanthropies launched a Food Policy Program with a $435 million commitment to help public health advocates promote healthy diets in low- and middle-income countries. Recently, this commitment facilitated the creation of the Vital Strategies Healthy Food Policy Fellowship, which financially supports Ph.D. candidates from countries like Brazil pursuing a field of study related to building healthier diets through their national public policy.

Looking Forward

The rising cost of healthy diets disproportionately impacts the poorest populations, increasing their risk of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). This challenge is particularly burdensome for low- and middle-income countries, as unhealthy diets contribute to 70% of global hidden costs associated with NCDs. Promoting healthy diets is a major focus for international institutions and charities, given its critical connection to global development and poverty eradication efforts.

“Healthy diets and sustainably produced, safe food for all is not an out of reach aspiration, but an unavoidable component of global development, a human right and an achievable goal which can be realized through clear, well established and aligned actions,” said Dr. Francesco Branca, WHO Director of Nutrition and Food Safety.

– Sofia Brooke

Sofia is based in Oxfordshire, UK and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Tiny Food Gardens for Children’s Homes in Suriname

Tiny Food GardensEconomic hardships due to inflation and the impacts of COVID-19 increased the need for initiatives to improve access to healthy food for children’s homes in Suriname. Ambassadors of Forest93 Suriname have established Tiny Food Gardens and First Food Forests to address this pressing issue.

Forest 93

Suriname is the smallest country in South America and simultaneously the world’s most forested country, according to CEOWORLD. Its forests, stewarded by the Indigenous and Maroon population, cover more than 93% of the country. Green Growth Suriname (GGS) established Forest93 as a national campaign to strengthen the public’s connection to nature and raise awareness of the need for nature legislation and novel approaches to data collection.

The name of this campaign serves as a reminder of the Surinamese government’s pledge made at COP-23 to maintain 93% forest cover. In 2021, successful fundraising by GGS enabled the launch of the Tiny Food Gardens initiative. In 2023, the Fernandes Bottling Company donated funds through a Christmas Caravan fundraising to GGS to expand the Tiny Food Gardens program.

Tiny Food Gardens

The Tiny Food Gardens program (TFG) launched during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, a time of increased hardship. Following the economic struggles caused by inflation and a plunge in gross domestic product per capita in 2016, Suriname faced further challenges due to the pandemic. According to the International Labor Organization’s Suriname Mid-term Market Labor Policy 2022-2025, unemployment rose and more businesses failed in 2021 compared to 2019. These circumstances heightened the need for initiatives to improve access to healthy food, particularly for the vulnerable inhabitants of children’s homes in Suriname.

The TFG initiative provides gardening training, educational booklets to monitor plant growth and informative sessions on sustainable solutions to single-use plastic, such as using plastic bottles for planting, in children’s homes. With this knowledge, the homes can grow their spices and vegetables. TFG ensured the homes could run their gardens as independently as possible by training youths in woodwork to craft gardening tables using a “train-the-trainer” approach. To ensure proper project implementation, part of the group monitored the gardening activities in children’s homes in Suriname for the first six months.

Impact

Children’s homes had tiny gardens in the form of gardening tables created as part of a social program for incarcerated people. Forest93 reports that at least two gardening tables were delivered to six children’s homes in Paramaribo, Wanica and Commewijne districts. More than 150 children participated in the TFG program. They helped cultivate 53 small gardens. Eleven young people completed the train-the-trainer course, four of whom gained valuable experience monitoring the project.

In addition to learning gardening as an essential life skill, studies have shown that gardening benefits mental and physical health. Additionally, Forest93 allocated a budget to install water tanks for rainwater storage for irrigation after it became apparent that homes participating in the project experienced increased water bills.

Conclusion

The TFG program has helped children’s homes cut costs while providing healthy meals. This initiative, initiated by ambassadors of Forest93 Suriname, plays a significant role in encouraging youth and the wider community to reimagine the possibilities of creating food security. TFG teaches young people to maintain a garden and enables them to experience the (mental) health benefits of connecting with nature.

– Tanisha Groeneveld

Tanisha is based in Leeds, UK and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels

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Fourth Line: Creating Sustainable Livelihoods for Zambian Farmers

Zambian FarmersFourth Line is an agribusiness bringing agricultural and financial services to Zambian farmers in impoverished rural areas. The enterprise empowers rural inhabitants with income-generating activities such as honey production, beehive making and sustainable forest use in the provinces of Zambia. The Borgen Project spoke with the founder of Fourth Line, Chiyanika Nakasamu, to learn about how the initiative’s work is helping to alleviate rural poverty in Zambia.

Rural Zambia in Context

Zambia ranks as one of the most impoverished countries worldwide, with more than 60% of the population living in poverty in 2022, according to the World Bank. Rural inhabitants consistently face even starker levels of poverty, with limited access to essential services like electricity and water supply.

Nakasamu adds that Zambia is experiencing another severe drought, causing power shortages and adversely affecting food production. “It’s hitting people so hard,” he told The Borgen Project. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), a partner to Fourth Line, has described this situation in Zambia as a vicious cycle, where the methods they use to survive further aggravate climate emergencies and their effects on vulnerable countries.

Fourth Line: Its Vision and Strategy

In 2019, Nakasamu founded the Fourth Line. He aimed “to empower smaller farmers with beekeeping to move them away from charcoal burning.” Growing up, he had witnessed firsthand the struggles of poor farming communities, particularly in drought. When crops failed, his community relied on the forest for charcoal production and other environmentally harmful practices.

Describing their strategy to tackle this situation, Nakasamu said, “We couldn’t come up with a one-size-fits-all solution.” However, he came up with “a solution here and there,” pairing his background in finance with his passion for conservation and rural communities. When combined, his initiative combats the various problems faced by Zambian farmers.

Buzz-Worthy Initiatives

The success of Nakasamu’s initiative is based on two lines of action. Firstly, it designs innovative, low-cost beehives made from unwanted wood waste, whose yields have increased productivity from 15 kg to 70 kg per season. This approach creates income-generating opportunities for smallholder farmers while allowing communities to use the forest environment for their beekeeping without contributing to deforestation or greenhouse gas emissions.

Secondly, Fourth Line is trying to tackle the need for more access to financial services, another obstacle that prevents economic growth in rural areas of the country. Nakasamu explained that farmers “are not actually considered in the financial chain, commercial or traditional financial systems.” To combat this, Fourth Line is currently creating an SMS/USSD-based system to connect Zambian farmers to weather, agricultural and financial services and to facilitate the safe distribution of loans.

A Restored Future

The UNEP’s “Becoming #GenerationRestoration” report estimates that with half the world’s gross domestic product dependent on nature, every dollar spent on restoration projects generates up to $30 in economic benefits. Fourth Line reflects a growing interest across developing countries in creating long-term economic incentives for forest restoration.

Regarding future goals, Nakasamu said that Fourth Line is looking to extend its model to help African countries beyond Zambia and access global markets for its honey products, thereby building on its work to lift communities out of poverty.

– Hannah Dunford

Hannah is based in Edinburgh, Scotland and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Feeding the Future: Uttar Pradesh’s Community Kitchens

Uttar Pradesh’s Community KitchensDuring the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh in India, initiatives to establish community kitchens emerged as critical lifelines for vulnerable citizens. Launched as a part of the state’s relief efforts for both those living in poverty and for citizens stranded due to lockdown, these kitchens provided essential meals to those facing food insecurity. 

Uttar Pradesh’s Community Kitchens

In 2020, Uttar Pradesh launched a significant community kitchen initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic to combat hunger and support populations like migrant workers and daily wage earners. Collaborating with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and religious groups, the state’s government quickly established more than 7,000 community kitchens across all 75 districts. These kitchens provided meals for the impoverished and displaced individuals as lockdown measures disrupted livelihoods.

Furthermore, to make these kitchens even more accessible, Uttar Pradesh became the first state to geotag its kitchens and shelters, partnering with Google Maps to help people locate nearby facilities. This geotagging effort helped ensure that needy individuals could easily find food and shelter during the crisis. This initiative was especially significant during the crisis, as it helped ensure that needy individuals, including the elderly, migrant workers and those stranded in remote locations, could easily find food and shelter without unnecessary delays.

Global Impact

The creation of these community kitchens has evolved into a larger, global trend of efforts to combat food insecurity. Though these initial community kitchens were pandemic-driven, many such initiatives were adapted to address ongoing socioeconomic challenges continuously. Community kitchens in Uttar Pradesh now serve as emergency responses and as a buffer against the growing inequality exacerbated by the pandemic. They have become permanent safety nets for those facing prolonged food insecurity driven by unemployment and disrupted food supply chains.

By providing consistent access to nutritious meals, these initiatives help alleviate the pressures on struggling families and individuals, ensuring that vulnerable populations receive the support they need. The sad reality is that food insecurity has doubled in parts of Asia, further underscoring the critical role that initiatives like these play​. In the aftermath of the lockdown, local authorities and NGOs have kept these kitchens running to help people whose livelihoods were yet to recover fully.

The impact of such efforts greatly supports similar global community-based programs that seek to combat hunger. These programs continue to address the population’s long-term economic vulnerabilities, including the pandemic’s financial effects and unemployment.

Moving Forward

The challenge moving forward will be ensuring that Uttar Pradesh’s community kitchens are supported as permanent fixtures in public welfare systems, adapting to post-pandemic realities and the continued economic instability they were designed to mitigate. However, by taking Uttar Pradesh’s initiatives into consideration, we may also make great strides against the longstanding issue of food insecurity.

– Trinity Lee

Trinity is based in Bellevue, WA, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr