Top view of farm with equipment harvesting produce.

Zero Hunger

The Goal of Zero Hunger

It is time to rethink how we grow, share and consume our food. If done right, agriculture, forestry and fisheries can provide nutritious food for all and generate decent incomes, while supporting people-centered rural development and protecting the environment.

Right now, our soils, freshwater, oceans, forests and biodiversity are being rapidly degraded. Climate change is putting even more pressure on the resources we depend on, increasing risks associated with disasters, such as droughts and floods. Many rural women and men can no longer make ends meet on their land, forcing them to migrate to cities in search of opportunities. Poor food security is also causing millions of children to be stunted, or too short for the ages, due to severe malnutrition.

A profound change of the global food and agriculture system is needed if we are to nourish the 821 million people who are hungry today and the additional 2 billion people expected to be undernourished by 2050. Investments in agriculture are crucial to increasing the capacity for agricultural productivity and sustainable food production systems are necessary to help alleviate the perils of hunger.

Strawberries in white containers.

Why it Matters

Extreme hunger and malnutrition remains a barrier to sustainable development and creates a trap from which people cannot easily escape. Hunger and malnutrition mean less productive individuals, who are more prone to disease and thus often unable to earn more and improve their livelihoods. There are more than 800 million people who suffer from hunger worldwide, the vast majority in developing countries.

We all want our families to have enough food to eat what is safe and nutritious. A world with zero hunger can positively impact our economies, health, education, equality and social development. It’s a key piece of building a better future for everyone.

Additionally, with hunger limiting human development, we will not be able to achieve the other sustainable development goals such as education, health and gender equality.

Professor Andrew Scanlon posing with Rocky the Red Hawk outside of the School of Nursing

Our Efforts Towards Zero Hunger

“For the School of Nursing, addressing food insecurity and helping people live healthy lives is what we are about,” says Janice Smolowitz, Dean, School of Nursing.

  • Since 2017, the School of Nursing has actively participated in the campus community garden and donated fresh produce to the Red Hawk Food Pantry.
  • On September 14, 2019, Associate Professor Andrew Scanlon pedaled in a 200-mile charity bike ride to raise awareness and over $1,500 in funds for the Red Hawk Food Pantry.
  • In 2020, we pledged our services to ‘End Hunger 3.6’ and helped the Madison Rotary Club package over 500,000 meals for food insecure populations in New Jersey.