Global Malnutrition

It is estimated that 815 million people, or more than one in 10 of the world, do not have enough to eat. 

Contrary to what many may think, smallholder farmers make up the majority of the malnourished and hungry people of the world, making up around 20% of the global hunger population. As a result, one of the biggest challenges for improving our global food system is ensuring smallholder farmers get the support they need, the crop varieties, the inputs of fertilizer, access to water, access to markets, and all the other things that would lift them out of poverty and out of hunger.

In addition to smallholder farmers, the urban poor account for about 20 percent. Hunger today is not due to a failure in food production, but rather an issue of equity and distribution. Poverty is the main driver. People simply don't have enough disposable income to be able to purchase the food needs of their families. There's a lack of investment in agriculture and infrastructure in many low-income countries. In addition, climate and weather changes and food waste contribute to these systems lacking resilience and leaving people at risk. Food waste is a very major problem in the food system. In low-income countries, much of the food is wasted due to a lack of adequate storage and lack of ability to dry grains before they become infected with fungi or rotten.