THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
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Over the past decades, the world has seen incredible achievements in fighting hunger and poverty.
In 1945, more than 55 per cent of the global population lived in extreme poverty. By 2018, only 10 per cent did. Similarly, the proportion of undernourished people in developing countries has plummeted, from one in three in 1970 to one in 10 by 2015.
Yet this progress has stalled. It’s now looking possible that the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals, including eradicating poverty and achieving zero hunger by 2030, will fail.
But it’s still not too late to get back on track and fulfil the promise of a better future – if countries and international organizations come together through platforms like the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty.
Why are poverty and hunger proving so hard to eradicate?
The reasons for persisting poverty and hunger are complex. Compounding economic, health and security crises have created a perfect storm that keeps people in poverty and hunger. At the same time, the amount of funding available to solve these challenges is shrinking.
The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the first global increase in extreme poverty in decades. In 2022, 712 million people worldwide were getting by on less than $2.15 a day, 23 million more than in 2019. While poverty levels have since declined, they remain higher than they would have been without the pandemic.
Similarly, 735 million people went hungry in 2022, a dramatic increase of 122 million since 2019. Rural people are more likely to be food-insecure than those living in cities. This is in part because poverty is not equally distributed: the overwhelming majority of our planet’s extreme poor live in rural areas.
The challenge seems insurmountable. Is there anything the global community can do to eradicate poverty and hunger?
Complex challenges require innovative solutions. It’s time for a new approach, and the key is the final Sustainable Development Goal: number 17, to revitalize global partnerships.
That’s why IFAD has become a founding member of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, a coalition of partners led by Brazil.
The Global Alliance provides a collaborative platform for countries and policymakers reckoning with poverty and hunger to connect with expertise, technical assistance and funding. At the same time, donors are assured that they are financing proven, evidence-based solutions.
By promoting beneficial policy changes, the Alliance has the potential to drive transformative impact.
How does IFAD plan to contribute to the Global Alliance?
IFAD is committed to contributing its expertise in rural development, access to finance, and policy innovation to the Alliance.
As a specialized UN agency and the only international financial institution with the mandate to eradicate poverty and hunger by investing in rural people, IFAD can draw on a diverse range of successful development programmes. For example:
- Rural financial services: In Jordan, expanding financial services among small-scale livestock farms was a key part of SIGHT. Muneira used a loan to buy 10 sheep and expand production in her greenhouse, boosting her income and giving her newfound self-sufficiency.
Access to healthy diets: Women like Teakontaake are fighting back against non-communicable diseases in Kiribati. With training, equipment and a handy cookbook provided by OIFWP, she grows healthy vegetables and prepares nutritious meals that help control her diabetes.
Climate-resilient agriculture: Flooding is affecting the livelihoods of farmers and rural communities in Bangladesh. But through training and a new early warning system, HILIP-CALIP has enabled farmers to forecast pre-monsoon flash floods protect both food supplies and their incomes.
We know our approach works. Thanks to measures like these, 77.4 million people who participated in IFAD projects that concluded between 2019 and 2021 increased their incomes, while 57 million became more food secure.
Countries in the Global Alliance can draw on this deep experience to create the conditions for sustainable food systems and strong rural economies. Through strategic partnerships, IFAD aims to deliver at least US$10 billion towards addressing hunger and poverty among rural people between 2025 and 2027.
Hunger and poverty are immense obstacles, but we already know the solutions. The real challenge is to join forces and drive much-needed investments to the countries and people most severely affected. The Global Alliance is our best opportunity to do so.
Source: www.ifad.org
