Most Nations Will Miss 2030 Food System Goals, FAO Warns

The vast majority of countries are unlikely to achieve international targets for food systems by the 2030 deadline, a stark warning from the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reveals. The assessment, based on a new study published in the journal Nature Food, analyzed 197 countries and territories across 44 indicators related to nutrition, health, environment, and living standards.

The research highlights a significant gap in progress, with most nations achieving only one of the 30 key indicators: widespread mobile phone access. For 22 other indicators, less than a third of countries are projected to meet their 2030 goals. A particularly critical area is the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from food systems, where progress has been minimal, with the global community only a quarter of the way to the target. Projections indicate that no country will meet this goal at the current pace.

Urgent and drastic action is required across all regions. Africa, for instance, needs annual improvements of 15-20 percent across 23 indicators, while Asia must reduce food insecurity by over 63 percent each year. Even high-income regions like Europe are falling short, with 19 indicators likely to be missed by 2030 if current trends continue. Despite these challenges, the study noted positive trends in seven indicators where at least a third of nations are on track, and half of all global indicators show positive momentum.

Experts emphasize that accelerating these transformations hinges on enhanced government efficiency, accountability, and broader civil society participation. Without a significant acceleration of reforms, many global objectives may need to be postponed to 2050. The FAO urges the international community to intensify efforts, focusing on accessible healthy diets, combating food insecurity, improving governance, and cutting emissions from food systems.