Global action for better nutrition begins in Rome

Better nutrition leads to better lives, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

That's the theme of the Second International Conference on Nutrition opening on Wednesday at FAO's Headquarters in Rome.

Co-organized with the World Health Organization, the three-day conference will bring together government representatives, civil society, the private sector and experts from around the world.

FAO estimates that globally, 800 million people go to sleep hungry.

Anna Lartey, Director of FAO's Nutrition Division, says some progress has been made in 20 years but nutrition inequalities show that it's not enough.

“I don't think we can really celebrate any progress at all. And even if you look at the distribution of the progress, it's uneven.

 
Where some regions have made some progress, in others regions we still have very high levels of malnutrition. And so, I think that we need to tackle it and make sure the progress is across board. Because we have the knowledge, we know what to do, we know where to have the impact.”

FAO says the conference will give special focus on nutrition challenges in developing countries, where 13.5 percent of the population is undernourished.

SOURCE: Stephanie Coutrix, United Nations, Rome.