Nutrition demands more than consensus - it demands courage
As the world turns its attention to the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit in Paris, one truth must be said out loud: we cannot afford another summit of polite consensus and vague promises. If we want to end malnutrition in all its forms, we must be willing to make uncomfortable choices. Real progress never comes from comfort.
The stakes are clear. Over 3 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet. Malnutrition contributes to nearly half of all deaths in children under five. Yet despite the mounting evidence that nutrition underpins everything from education and health to economic growth and climate resilience, it remains chronically underfunded, politically sidelined, and too often treated as an afterthought.
That must change. And it must begin with courage.
Set hard targets, not soft goals
We need governments and donors to move beyond rhetorical commitments and adopt concrete, time-bound, and cross-sectoral nutrition investment targets. Nutrition must be embedded across sectors—agriculture, health, education, climate, and social protection—with clear budget lines and accountability mechanisms. Ambition without action is empty.
Legislate for food systems that serve health, not just profits
Food systems today are not failing—they are functioning precisely as they have been shaped to do: prioritizing volume over value, cheap calories over nutrition, and short-term profits over long-term health. The result is a global burden of malnutrition that includes both obesity and undernutrition, often coexisting within the same communities. In some countries, these systems too often limit access to diverse, affordable, and nutritious foods, while markets are saturated with ultra-processed, nutrient-poor options. This is not inevitable—it’s a consequence of policy choices. To change course, we need bold legislation and thoughtful policy reform that regulates unhealthy food environments, supports the production and availability of nutritious foods, and ensures that public interest—not just private gain—drives food systems transformation.
Accountability over access for the private sector
The private sector has made meaningful contributions to advance nutrition goals through initiatives such as food fortification, product reformulation, and efforts to improve supply chains and consumer access. These contributions are valuable and should be encouraged. At the same time, a genuine partnership requires shared responsibility. Corporate commitments should be accompanied by transparency, independent monitoring, and clear accountability mechanisms. To build trust and deliver lasting impact, we must move beyond public pledges and ensure that private sector engagement leads to measurable improvements in nutrition and public health outcomes.
Make nutrition non-negotiable in crisis response and recovery
From climate shocks to conflict to pandemics, crises are becoming the new normal. Yet nutrition is often the first casualty and the last priority. This must end. Nutrition should be central to humanitarian response, with dedicated funding and fast-track delivery mechanisms. Recovery without nutrition is no recovery at all.
Rethink what success looks like
It is time to stop measuring the success of summits by the number of pledges made or the glossy communiqués produced. Instead, let us judge our progress by the systems we dismantle—the policies perpetuating hunger and poor health—and the lives we transform. Real change is messy. It’s political. It’s uncomfortable. But it’s necessary.
