Access to safe nutrition and healthy, balanced diets is vital for the growth of children, providing them with the nourishment needed in their formative years, while offering sustenance to adolescents and women of reproductive age, she stated.

The Director General commended the Food and Agriculture Organization, World Food Programme, International Fund for Agricultural Development, World Health Organization and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on their joint publication, ‘The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2018: Building Climate Resistance for Food Security and Nutrition’. She expressed support for stronger multilateral partnerships, coordination and integration of efforts to achieve the collective vision of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and stressed the significant contribution of milk and dairy products in this regard.

“Cooperation and coherence in action plans to strengthen the resilience of food systems through public-private partnerships across sectors encompassing food, agriculture, health and the environment are critical for food security,” explained Ms Emond.

“The IDF works with its global partners and experts to improve dairy safety and quality by promoting compliance with international standards to advance nutrition and public health.  We also work to increase sustainability of the dairy sector to safeguard nutritional security and food security.”

Ms Emond expressed concern over the report’s finding that global hunger is still on the rise with the number of undernourished people reaching 821 million worldwide, or one in every nine persons, where subregions in Africa and South America are particularly affected.

“We need to strengthen efforts to counter undernourishment which causes stunted growth in children, with poor health and development,” stressed Ms Emond. “Milk and dairy products, which are nutrient-rich, are an affordable source of good quality proteins, vitamins and minerals to promote healthy growth.”