Global Nutrition Report 2020 calls for change in agricultural practices to address malnutrition

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As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to intensify, the 2020 Global Nutrition Report calls for promoting equity to address the challenge of malnutrition around the world.

This year’s GNR report reveals significant inequalities in the nutritional outcomes within the country and populations. It has also shed light on the fragility of food and health systems globally.

India’s Position in the Global Nutrition Report

“India is among 88 countries that are likely to miss global nutrition targets by 2025,” according to the Global Nutrition Report 2020.

For all 4 indicators, India is likely to miss the targets, including childhood overweight, stunting, anaemia among women of reproductive age and breastfeeding.

From 2000 to 2016, rates of underweight have decreased to 58.1% for boys and 50.1% in girls.

Over 37% of children under 5 years are stunted and 20.8% are wasted, while stunting prevalence is around 10% higher in rural areas as compared to urban areas.

Strengthen Accountability

“Investing in nutrition, renewing and expanding commitments, and strengthening accountability has now become urgent if we want to prepare our systems for future shocks, and avoid a reversal of gain,” Gerda Verburg, UN Assistant Secretary-General, Scaling Up Nutrition Movement Coordinator and member of the GNR’s stakeholder group, said.

An Opportunity To Act

Venkatesh Mannar, Co-Chair of the Report and Special Adviser on Nutrition to the Tata Cornell Agriculture & Nutrition Initiative, said, “At a time when COVID-19 has further revealed the gaps in our food systems, we now have a unique opportunity to act in coordination to address them and ensure that healthy and sustainably produced food is the most accessible, affordable and desirable choice for all.”

Nutrition: A Crucial Component of Healthcare

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Countries Need To Be Better Prepared

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An Immediate Change Required In Our Food Systems

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It is worth mentioning that the Global Nutrition Report, a multi-stakeholder initiative, is led by experts in the field of nutrition. The GNR highlights the burden of malnutrition and sheds light on the progress and working solutions to deal with malnutrition around the globe. The report captures the burden of malnutrition at the regional, sub-regional, national and global levels.