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The FAO Food Price Index fell sharply in July, the largest such decline since December 2017. The Index dropped by around 3.7 percent month-to-month from June, as well as 3.7 percent from its July 2017 levels. The decline is driven by reductions across all sub-indices.

The Cereal Price Index fell 3.6 percent from June and 0.8 percent from July 2017. The price of wheat, maize, and rice declined in June, although maize and wheat prices crept back up toward the end of the month due to concerns over production prospects.

Research shows that an integrated nutrition approach—bringing together social protection programs, behavior change communication, agricultural policies, plant breeding, and early childhood interventions— is crucial to building food security and resilience. IFPRI Senior Research Fellow Harold Alderman’s recent research has focused on the connections between nutrition and early child development, and how nutrition and social protection programs contribute to long term economic growth.

According to a new report from GAIN and the United States Council for International Business, one in three people worldwide suffer from either undernourishment or overweight/obesity. This malnutrition crisis is now global, affecting every country in the world. Experts have estimated that malnutrition results in the loss of at least 10% of global GDP every year, threatening economic development and poverty reduction.

By: Luciana Delgado, IFPRI

A recent brief by authors from the World Bank, IFPRI and the University of Antwerp notes that reducing food loss and waste can improve food and nutrition security. The brief was prepared through the T20 program as part of the preparation for the G20 meetings in Argentina that took place this month.

On July 6, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a 25% tariff on a range of Chinese goods worth $34 billion. China retaliated immediately with 25% tariff on U.S. goods, including agricultural products. While the goal of the tariff, according to the U.S. President, is to protect jobs and intellectual property, the impacts to U.S. producers has been and may continue to be substantial. Less than a week later, on July 19, U.S. soy prices hit a ten-year low, with the August futures for the price of a bushel at $8.39 and November futures at only $8.55 .