This week, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) launched its 2013 Global Food Policy Report, reviewing major trends and developments from the past year, and setting an agenda for action for 2014 and beyond.

Whilst post-2015 development discussions are focusing on eliminating extreme poverty by 2030, the report argues that ending hunger and undernutrition by 2025 should be a top priority.

In his opening remarks, Shenggen Fan, Director-General of IFPRI commented: “In 2013, global food prices have been calm and stable. But there is no room for complacency”. He added that the prices of food and vegetables in emerging countries such as India and China are rising, compromising the nutrition levels of these populations. “The SDGs are gaining traction, but there is lack of consensus on agriculture, food and nutrition. We need to be precise. We need to be ambitious,” he asserted.

The full report discusses what can be done to achieve the ambitious goal of ending hunger and malnutrition by 2025. Action points outlined by IFPRI include:

1. Promoting country-driven, context-specific, and evidence-based strategies: national investment priorities must support national strategies, policies, and accountability mechanisms aimed at eradicating hunger and undernutrition.
2. Learning from evidence and past experiences from successful countries such as Brazil, China, Thailand, and Vietnam.
3. Sharing data and information: more knowledge sharing can provide lessons learned and create a “snowball effect” for positive changes and innovations.
4. Expanding the role of the private sector, which will be crucial to finding sustainable solutions for ending hunger and undernutrition.

Read the full 2013 Global Food Policy Report from IFPRI here.