The keynote address describes and contextualizes the food and nutrition situation worldwide, and ... more The keynote address describes and contextualizes the food and nutrition situation worldwide, and by doing so, raises awareness that nutrition is a critical dimension of food security, health and development. It provides an overview of how global food policies can support healthy and sustainable food choices for improving diets and raising levels of nutrition. The address contributes to the Conference and Congress by sharing ideas and knowledge that can contribute to the identification of key issues to be tackled when targeting the most nutritionally vulnerable. By drawing upon recently published works on nutrition, the presentation reviews the major global and regional trends in food supplies, diets and nutrition; identifies the major opportunities and challenges for improving food and nutrition around the world; refers to the various global efforts culminating in the ICN2 to address these challenges; and looks at the opportunities that the raising of nutrition higher up the international development agenda has created for nutrition practitioners and development economists to improve nutrition for all. It also identifies a number of possible practical actions that may be taken by governments, UN agencies, research institutions, the private sector as well as NGO/CSOs for improving food and nutrition security. A background and summary is provided of the Second International Nutrition Conference (ICN2) including its main outcome, the Rome Declaration on Nutrition, a political response to address the current nutrition issues and challenges, and its Framework for Action for Nutrition which provides a set of voluntary policy options and strategies to implement the Declaration. Opportunities for nutrition practitioners are identified, with a call for more research on a number of topics including strengthening the information base for better information on what constitutes a healthy diet, along with some ideas for future research including on the human biome or gut microbiota. It concludes with a call for action for improving global diets and raising levels of nutrition.
Climate changes will affect food production in a number of ways. Crop yields, aquatic populations... more Climate changes will affect food production in a number of ways. Crop yields, aquatic populations and forest productivity will decline, invasive insect and plant species will proliferate and desertification, soil salinization and water stress will increase. Each of these impacts will decrease food and nutrition security, primarily by reducing access to and availability of food, and also by increasing the risk of infectious disease.
Although increased biofuel demand has the potential to increase incomes among producers, it can also negatively affect food and nutrition security. Land used for cultivating food crops may be diverted to biofuel production, creating food shortages and raising prices. Accelerations in unregulated or poorly regulated foreign direct investment, deforestation and unsustainable use of chemical fertilizers may also result. Biofuel production may reduce women’s control of resources, which may in turn reduce the quality of household diets. Each of these effects increases risk of poor food and nutrition security, either through decreased physical availability of food, decreased purchasing power, or increased risk of disease.
The Impact of Climate Change and Bioenergy on Nutrition articulates the links between current environmental issues and food and nutrition security. It provides a unique collection of nutrition statistics, climate change projections, biofuel scenarios and food security information under one cover which will be of interest to policymakers, academia, agronomists, food and nutrition security planners, programme implementers, health workers and all those concerned about the current challenges of climate change, energy production, hunger and malnutrition.
Food security has deteriorated since 1995 and reductions in child malnutrition are proceeding too... more Food security has deteriorated since 1995 and reductions in child malnutrition are proceeding too slowly to meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target for halving hunger by 2015. Three major challenges threaten to drastically complicate efforts to overcome food insecurity and malnutrition: climate change, the growing use of food crops as a source of fuel and soaring food prices. Food
More than one billion people are suffering hunger and malnutrition in 2009. Food security has det... more More than one billion people are suffering hunger and malnutrition in 2009. Food security has deteriorated since 1995 and reductions in child malnutrition are proceeding too slowly to meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target of halving hunger by 2015. Three major challenges threaten current and future efforts to overcome food insecurity and malnutrition: climate and global environmental change and the consequent loss of ecosystems' services, the growing use of food crops as a source of fuel and the food and financial crises. This paper reviews and analyses the current and projected effects of climate change and bioenergy on nutrition and proposes policy recommendations to address these challenges. The first section of the review lays out the public health and socio-economic consequences of malnutrition and explores causes and costs. The paper then analyses the implications of climate and global environmental change and biofuel production for food security and nutrition, addressing strategies for adaptation and mitigation. This analysis includes a number of important socio-economic factors, besides climate change and biofuel production, that are currently impacting food and nutrition security, and that will likely contribute to future effects. The paper concludes with a series of policy proposals and recommendations to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate and global environmental change placing human rights in the centre of decision making. These proposals include a number of options for improving sustainability and food and nutrition security while addressing the links between climate change and bioenergy demand.
ABSTRACT Developing country food systems have changed dramatically since the Green Revolution per... more ABSTRACT Developing country food systems have changed dramatically since the Green Revolution period. At the same time, malnutrition still represents a challenge and is now understood to encompass the three simultaneous dimensions of undernourishment, micronutrient deficiencies, and over-nutrition manifest in overweight and obesity. These changes in food systems and in the understanding of the global malnutrition challenge necessitate fresh thinking about food systems-based strategies to reduce malnutrition. This paper introduces a special section that offers such new perspectives. We discuss trends with respect to indicators of the triple burden of malnutrition to understand the extent of global malnutrition challenges and then relate those to food systems transformation in developing countries.
The keynote address describes and contextualizes the food and nutrition situation worldwide, and ... more The keynote address describes and contextualizes the food and nutrition situation worldwide, and by doing so, raises awareness that nutrition is a critical dimension of food security, health and development. It provides an overview of how global food policies can support healthy and sustainable food choices for improving diets and raising levels of nutrition. The address contributes to the Conference and Congress by sharing ideas and knowledge that can contribute to the identification of key issues to be tackled when targeting the most nutritionally vulnerable. By drawing upon recently published works on nutrition, the presentation reviews the major global and regional trends in food supplies, diets and nutrition; identifies the major opportunities and challenges for improving food and nutrition around the world; refers to the various global efforts culminating in the ICN2 to address these challenges; and looks at the opportunities that the raising of nutrition higher up the international development agenda has created for nutrition practitioners and development economists to improve nutrition for all. It also identifies a number of possible practical actions that may be taken by governments, UN agencies, research institutions, the private sector as well as NGO/CSOs for improving food and nutrition security. A background and summary is provided of the Second International Nutrition Conference (ICN2) including its main outcome, the Rome Declaration on Nutrition, a political response to address the current nutrition issues and challenges, and its Framework for Action for Nutrition which provides a set of voluntary policy options and strategies to implement the Declaration. Opportunities for nutrition practitioners are identified, with a call for more research on a number of topics including strengthening the information base for better information on what constitutes a healthy diet, along with some ideas for future research including on the human biome or gut microbiota. It concludes with a call for action for improving global diets and raising levels of nutrition.
Climate changes will affect food production in a number of ways. Crop yields, aquatic populations... more Climate changes will affect food production in a number of ways. Crop yields, aquatic populations and forest productivity will decline, invasive insect and plant species will proliferate and desertification, soil salinization and water stress will increase. Each of these impacts will decrease food and nutrition security, primarily by reducing access to and availability of food, and also by increasing the risk of infectious disease.
Although increased biofuel demand has the potential to increase incomes among producers, it can also negatively affect food and nutrition security. Land used for cultivating food crops may be diverted to biofuel production, creating food shortages and raising prices. Accelerations in unregulated or poorly regulated foreign direct investment, deforestation and unsustainable use of chemical fertilizers may also result. Biofuel production may reduce women’s control of resources, which may in turn reduce the quality of household diets. Each of these effects increases risk of poor food and nutrition security, either through decreased physical availability of food, decreased purchasing power, or increased risk of disease.
The Impact of Climate Change and Bioenergy on Nutrition articulates the links between current environmental issues and food and nutrition security. It provides a unique collection of nutrition statistics, climate change projections, biofuel scenarios and food security information under one cover which will be of interest to policymakers, academia, agronomists, food and nutrition security planners, programme implementers, health workers and all those concerned about the current challenges of climate change, energy production, hunger and malnutrition.
Food security has deteriorated since 1995 and reductions in child malnutrition are proceeding too... more Food security has deteriorated since 1995 and reductions in child malnutrition are proceeding too slowly to meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target for halving hunger by 2015. Three major challenges threaten to drastically complicate efforts to overcome food insecurity and malnutrition: climate change, the growing use of food crops as a source of fuel and soaring food prices. Food
More than one billion people are suffering hunger and malnutrition in 2009. Food security has det... more More than one billion people are suffering hunger and malnutrition in 2009. Food security has deteriorated since 1995 and reductions in child malnutrition are proceeding too slowly to meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target of halving hunger by 2015. Three major challenges threaten current and future efforts to overcome food insecurity and malnutrition: climate and global environmental change and the consequent loss of ecosystems' services, the growing use of food crops as a source of fuel and the food and financial crises. This paper reviews and analyses the current and projected effects of climate change and bioenergy on nutrition and proposes policy recommendations to address these challenges. The first section of the review lays out the public health and socio-economic consequences of malnutrition and explores causes and costs. The paper then analyses the implications of climate and global environmental change and biofuel production for food security and nutrition, addressing strategies for adaptation and mitigation. This analysis includes a number of important socio-economic factors, besides climate change and biofuel production, that are currently impacting food and nutrition security, and that will likely contribute to future effects. The paper concludes with a series of policy proposals and recommendations to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate and global environmental change placing human rights in the centre of decision making. These proposals include a number of options for improving sustainability and food and nutrition security while addressing the links between climate change and bioenergy demand.
ABSTRACT Developing country food systems have changed dramatically since the Green Revolution per... more ABSTRACT Developing country food systems have changed dramatically since the Green Revolution period. At the same time, malnutrition still represents a challenge and is now understood to encompass the three simultaneous dimensions of undernourishment, micronutrient deficiencies, and over-nutrition manifest in overweight and obesity. These changes in food systems and in the understanding of the global malnutrition challenge necessitate fresh thinking about food systems-based strategies to reduce malnutrition. This paper introduces a special section that offers such new perspectives. We discuss trends with respect to indicators of the triple burden of malnutrition to understand the extent of global malnutrition challenges and then relate those to food systems transformation in developing countries.
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Papers by Brian Thompson
Although increased biofuel demand has the potential to increase incomes among producers, it can also negatively affect food and nutrition security. Land used for cultivating food crops may be diverted to biofuel production, creating food shortages and raising prices. Accelerations in unregulated or poorly regulated foreign direct investment, deforestation and unsustainable use of chemical fertilizers may also result. Biofuel production may reduce women’s control of resources, which may in turn reduce the quality of household diets. Each of these effects increases risk of poor food and nutrition security, either through decreased physical availability of food, decreased purchasing power, or increased risk of disease.
The Impact of Climate Change and Bioenergy on Nutrition articulates the links between current environmental issues and food and nutrition security. It provides a unique collection of nutrition statistics, climate change projections, biofuel scenarios and food security information under one cover which will be of interest to policymakers, academia, agronomists, food and nutrition security planners, programme implementers, health workers and all those concerned about the current challenges of climate change, energy production, hunger and malnutrition.
Although increased biofuel demand has the potential to increase incomes among producers, it can also negatively affect food and nutrition security. Land used for cultivating food crops may be diverted to biofuel production, creating food shortages and raising prices. Accelerations in unregulated or poorly regulated foreign direct investment, deforestation and unsustainable use of chemical fertilizers may also result. Biofuel production may reduce women’s control of resources, which may in turn reduce the quality of household diets. Each of these effects increases risk of poor food and nutrition security, either through decreased physical availability of food, decreased purchasing power, or increased risk of disease.
The Impact of Climate Change and Bioenergy on Nutrition articulates the links between current environmental issues and food and nutrition security. It provides a unique collection of nutrition statistics, climate change projections, biofuel scenarios and food security information under one cover which will be of interest to policymakers, academia, agronomists, food and nutrition security planners, programme implementers, health workers and all those concerned about the current challenges of climate change, energy production, hunger and malnutrition.