Evidence-Based Research

In many developing countries, women make up 50 percent or more of the agricultural labor force; however, women also often face an array of socio-economic conditions that place them at a disadvantage compared to men in local and international food systems.

In 2015, there were 795 million hungry people around the world . Tackling this issue by 2030 is one of the main goals set forth in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to a new brief from IFPRI and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) , reducing the share of the population affected by undernourishment to 5 percent, or lower, in every country will come with a significant but affordable price tag.

At current rates, climate change is expected to have large-scale negative effects on agricultural production and food security, according to the latest edition of FAO’s flagship annual report, “The State of Food and Agriculture” (SOFA) . This year’s report focuses on the relationship between climate change, agriculture, and food security and calls for a transformation of the global food and agriculture system in the face of a changing climate.

This post originally appeared on the ICTSD site . It is based on a longer ICTSD paper .

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development , approved last year in New York, sets a ground-breaking new commitment for all countries: to end hunger and “all forms of malnutrition” by 2030. This post examines how policies affecting trade and markets are relevant to the new commitments on hunger and malnutrition; looks at past progress and projected trends; and examines options for government action in years ahead.

Agriculture contributes around 14 percent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (IPCC, 2014) and is a main driver of global deforestation. At the same time, the agricultural sector is also particularly vulnerable to the climate change and extreme weather shocks, as evidenced by recent drought throughout Africa and delayed monsoons in India . World Food Day , held on October 16, focused on these links between agriculture, climate, and food. The main message of this year’s event was “Climate is changing. Food and agriculture must, too.”