As the world faces an historic food and nutrition crisis, the Kofi Annan Foundation, with the support of The Rockefeller Foundation, announced the establishment of an eminent group of leaders – the Kofi Annan Commission on Food Security – to transform the world’s food security governance to ensure that no one goes hungry. These leaders will review the current challenges to the global food architecture; develop policy recommendations and possible models for a transformed global food governance system; and mobilize political commitment to adopt a new system that is fit-for-purpose to achieve a world with sustainable, equitable and resilient food security.
“Kofi Annan referred to the lack of food security for almost one billion people as an ‘unconscionable moral failing,’ and ‘a major brake on overall socio-economic development,’” said Elhadj As Sy, Chair of the Kofi Annan Foundation. “As both the climate and food crises continue to grow, we hope this new Commission will bring urgent answers in the form of a reenergized global governance structure to the persistent challenge of food insecurity.”
Since the mid-2010s, progress against food insecurity and poor diet quality has stalled. Multiple shocks, including the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, have driven 122 million people into hunger since 2019 and put the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 2 on Zero Hunger further out of reach. According to The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) 2023 report, about 29.6 percent of the global population – 2.4 billion people – were moderately or severely food insecure in 2022, with food insecurity disproportionately affecting women and people living in rural areas.
As the needs for humanitarian food aid continue to grow, the Kofi Annan Commission on Food Security will make an in-depth and frank review of the governance architecture – including both formal organizations and the web of less-formal public and private networks – that shape global action on food and nutrition. The Commission will focus specifically on multilateral mechanisms and other elements of the global governance structures for food and security, and on opportunities for improvements, innovation or even a complete redesign of these structures.
“Today, our food system is failing to adequately nourish over 2 billion people even as it accelerates the climate crisis. To achieve a zero-hunger future, we need to make big bets that will reimagine our food systems,” said Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation. “This initiative led by the Kofi Annan Foundation brings the kind of bold thinking and momentum we need to build a fit-for-purpose governance system that can help the world end hunger once and for all.”
The Commission will have a one-year program of work, releasing its final recommendations before the end of 2024. A public announcement about the Commission members will be made in early 2024.
