Defining the Path to Zero Hunger in an Equitable World

Today’s global food and nutrition crisis is being driven by climate change, conflict, and soaring food prices. Decades of progress in the fight against hunger and malnutrition have been reversed, as more than 345 million people are facing high levels of food insecurity in 2023 – more than double the number in 2020.

During the 2022 World Food Prize Borlaug Dialogues, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and The Rockefeller Foundation gathered experts and stakeholders from climate, agriculture, food security, and humanitarian backgrounds to discuss a bold vision for a 21st Century of zero hunger in a healthier and more equitable world. The resulting white paper, “Defining the Path to Zero Hunger in an Equitable World,” reflects a summary of their views and offers a framework to reimagine a hunger-free world.

This white paper is the first of four reports from The Rockefeller Foundation’s Global Nutrition Security portfolio, led by Catherine Bertini, former Executive Director of the World Food Programme and 2003 World Food Prize Laureate. The white paper identifies and analyzes three major obstacles—silos, myopic priorities, and top-down decision-making—and outlines solutions that address these challenges and make our food systems more sustainable, equitable and nourishing.