The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World Report 2022 showed that despite the high purchase price of local wheat in Egypt, its consumption is high.
A report released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Program and the World Health Organization found that despite the high purchase price of local wheat in Egypt, which is a strong incentive for farmers to increase their productivity – in addition to the support provided to bakeries and consumers – but this has led to a significant increase in per capita bread consumption and an increase in the share of wheat-based products in total food, as the average per capita share of wheat in Egypt is 146 kilograms per year, which is one of the highest in the world.
Dr. Aziza Ali Abdel Razek, Coordinator of Activities and Scientific Director of Research at the Egyptian National Institute of Planning, explained that the report looks at what has been achieved in the area of eradicating hunger, achieving food security and improving nutrition worldwide. , in addition to a thorough analysis of the main challenges facing food security as part of the 2023 Sustainable Development Plan.
For his part, Dr. Ali Zin El Abidine, Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics at the Center for Agricultural Planning and Development of the National Planning Institute, presented the report “Reorienting food and agricultural policies to increase the availability of healthy diets. “
Dr. Ali Zine El Abidine pointed out that the content of the report was based on a number of key messages, including that world hunger is steadily increasing as nutritional rates have declined, as evidenced by low weight for age, marked short stature ( stunting) and being dangerously thin compared to height (wasting) and vitamin and mineral deficiencies (micronutrient deficiencies).
He explained that, according to 2020 statistics, about 22% of children under the age of five suffer from stunting, 6.7% suffer from wasting, and 5.7% are overweight worldwide in 2020.
The report states that approximately 3.1 billion people could not afford healthy food in 2020, and this number increased by 112 million people in 2019, reflecting consumer food price inflation due to the economic impact of the pandemic (Covid 19 ) and measures taken to contain it.
Zain Al Abidin added that the report calls on governments to pursue policies that will increase the impact of combating hunger and malnutrition in all its forms, while reducing the various restrictions that certain countries place on food trade.
Zain Al Abidine indicated that the report recommends redirecting current public support with all stakeholders to increase food supply to the consumer, taking into account the institutional capacity of countries, as well as taking into account obligations under the rules of the World Trade Organization.
Source: Al-Shoruk