Latest news with #ZeroHunger
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Why private sector involvement is crucial for achieving SDG 2 & SDG 4
After having spent over a decade working to bridge the gap between hunger and education, one thing has become clear--while public policy lays the foundation, sustainable change is only possible when society, comprising corporates, non-profits and citizens embrace collective ownership of development agendas. The SDGs provide a comprehensive framework to plan, measure and monitor progress towards creating a sustainable world. India has made considerable progress towards achieving two critical UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), SDG 2 - Zero Hunger and SDG 4 - Quality Education, with government programmes like PM POSHAN and Samagra Shiksha laying a strong foundation. However, in a country as vast and diverse as ours, the scale and complexity of challenges demand more than government support; they call for a united, multi-sectoral response. Over the years, it has become quite evident that a well-nourished child is far more likely to attend school, stay focused in class and achieve better learning outcomes. Nutrition is not just a health metric, it is the cornerstone of educational equity. When we feed a child, we don't just address hunger; we enable their right to learn, grow and thrive. Thus, any conversation about child nutrition and education must move beyond government responsibility. Reimagining schools not just as centres of learning but as effective platforms for child welfare can help unlock the full potential of school-based nutrition and create space for deeper multisector collaboration, particularly in advancing SDG 2 and SDG 4. While the government continues to play a pivotal role in supporting the mid-day meal programme, there is considerable scope to engage private players in complementary interventions, such as school breakfast programmes. A well-designed breakfast initiative can address early morning hunger, improve attendance, sharpen concentration and significantly enhance learning outcomes, thereby amplifying the overall impact of school feeding efforts. True transformation lies in multi-sectoral collaboration, where the private sector takes a larger role, going beyond being just a donor and becoming a co-creator of solutions. Even the most well-conceived welfare programmes can benefit from support going beyond government funding as far as scale, innovation and sustainability are concerned. We have witnessed first-hand how corporate partnerships, based on shared values and long-term commitment to a cause, can enhance programme efficiency, scalability and resilience. For the private sector, it is an opportunity to contribute; not merely as a funder, but as a strategic partner in the crucial task of nation-building. The evolution of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in India, especially post the Companies Act 2013, has opened doors to deeper engagement. According to a Give Grants report, annual CSR spending has grown three times over the last decade. To maximise the impact of this spending, there is a need to go beyond compliance and foster strategic alignment with global and national development goals. A successful collaboration pairs corporate (innovation) with non-profit (implementation) and government (scale). While governments set the agenda, non-profits can bring community insight and corporations can contribute resources and expertise, thus helping maximise the impact of welfare programmes. True progress requires sustained impact over the course of time, and to ensure sustained impact, we can resort to local contextualisation and data-driven accountability. Measurable indicators, such as school attendance and learning outcomes, can help ensure optimal utilisation and continuous improvement of resources. Furthermore, fostering ecosystems of shared responsibility, such as co-funding models, joint impact assessments and platforms for learning exchange, do not just multiply impact but also build resilience necessary to mitigate disruptions caused due to unforeseen situations such as a natural disaster or as we witnessed during the Covid-19 pandemic. As a nation, we have both the ambition and infrastructure to achieve the UN SDGs. Our progress so far is a testament to the strength of our development policies. However, to unlock the full potential of these initiatives and to reach every child who needs support, we must embrace the idea of collective responsibility. Together, we can ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn, grow and contribute to a brighter, more equitable India. In the end, feeding a child and educating a child are not just acts of service—they are investments in our shared future. This article is authored by Dhananjay Ganjoo, chief resource mobilisation and marketing officer, The Akshaya Patra Foundation.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Axios Harris Poll Names Kroger One of America's Most Visible and Trusted Companies
CINCINNATI, May 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today announced its inclusion among the 2025 Axios Harris Poll 100, an annual ranking of the reputations of the most visible companies in the U.S. "As America's grocer, we understand our responsibility to provide fresh, affordable food so families can make the meals they love," said Ron Sargent, Chairman and CEO of Kroger. "Every day, our teams are focused on the customer, keeping prices low and creating meaningful careers. We appreciate Harris recognizing Kroger's commitment to our customers and associates." The Axios Harris Poll is a trusted ranking of the reputations of companies most on the minds of Americans, with a framework used by Harris since 1999. Through the survey, respondents evaluate reputations against key dimensions such as ethics, trust, vision and products and services. Kroger has regularly received high marks on the survey, consistently ranking among America's most visible and trusted companies. Kroger is committed to supporting healthy, thriving communities through its signature Zero Hunger | Zero Waste impact plan. Since launching its impact plan in 2017, the retailer has provided $1.5 billion to support hunger relief, which includes 815 million pounds of surplus fresh food rescued, totaling more than 3.9 billion meals directed to communities. This year, the retailer has organized Kroger Community Days, where volunteers and communities gather to pack a million meals with U.S. Hunger. With events taking place across the country, Kroger plans on packing more than three million meals this year with associates and community volunteers. To learn more about Kroger's Zero Hunger | Zero Waste progress visit here. "Kroger's continued inclusion in the Axios Harris Poll 100 underscores the company's unwavering commitment to building communities free from hunger and waste," said Keith Dailey, Kroger's group vice president of corporate affairs. "With the support of our dedicated associates, community members and customers, we are able to will provide nourishing meals for families to improve food security and health across the U.S. and work toward a future where no one has to go to bed hungry." The Kroger Co., recognized for its industry-leading benefits, culture and commitment to creating a workplace that respects and values every community, has been named a top place to work by the American Association of People with Disabilities and Disability:IN™, was honored by Handshake for excellence in early career hiring, named a best workplace for diverse professionals by Mogul, earned recognition from Newsweek as One of America's Greatest Workplaces for Diversity and ranked among Computerworld's Top 100 best places to work in IT. About Kroger At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit™. We are, across our family of companies more than 400,000 associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through an e-commerce experience and retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE The Kroger Co.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
15 million South Africans don't get enough to eat every day: 4 solutions
At least 15 million South Africans suffer from food insecurity. That means they don't have enough nutritious food to live healthy lives. This is due to a combination of factors, including unemployment, poverty, inequality and food system failures. More than 1,000 children die from malnutrition each year. This compares unfavourably with 350 child deaths from malnutrition in Brazil, which has more than three times South Africa's population, and 269 child deaths in Colombia, which has about the same per capita income as South Africa. A robust indicator of chronic hunger is child stunting. Stunting in South Africa has flatlined at around 25%, or one in four children, since the early 1990s. Other middle-income countries such as Brazil and Peru have made impressive progress. Peru halved its rate from 28% in 2008 to 13% in 2016, after the president committed to reducing stunting. Read more: How can South Africa's government deliver on the right to food and begin the urgent process of eradicating hunger? We have worked on food security and food justice for many years. We've researched the links between social protection and hunger and between food systems and nutrition, and the cost of hunger. Based on this experience, our view is that food shortages are not a cause of hunger in South Africa. The country produces and imports all the food it needs. Instead, the problem is unequal access to food. While some South Africans live in a world of abundance, with no budget constraints, millions more survive below the food poverty line, unable to afford even a basic nutritious diet for their families. We believe that the government must deliver on the constitutional right to food and begin the urgent process of eradicating hunger. It can do this by expanding the social grant system, extending the school nutrition programme, reducing food waste, and ensuring access to land for low-income rural and peri-urban households. Above all, a coherent and coordinated strategy for tackling hunger is needed, led by a minister of food, following models like Brazil's Zero Hunger initiative. In December 2024, Brazil handed over the G20 presidency to South Africa, after it launched the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. South Africa should embrace the embrace the spirit and focus of the alliance to develop its own Zero Hunger strategy. The South African government pays out 19 million social grants a month, or 26 million if the 9 million recipients of the special social relief of distress grant are included. Without these cash transfers, poverty and malnutrition in the country would be even higher. But they are inadequate, especially in a context of high and rising food prices. Read more: Firstly, the following changes should be made to social grant payments. An immediate increase in the child support grant, followed by further increases. The goal should be to get this grant, which is currently below the food poverty line at R530 a month (US$28), to R1,634 (US$34). This is the minimum amount of money needed to meet basic needs, including nutritious food, clothing and shelter. Pregnant women should receive a maternal support grant from 12 weeks of pregnancy, to reduce the risk of low birth weight. Social grants should increase to match inflation every year. Secondly, the National School Nutrition Programme, which provides one nutritious meal to all learners in poorer primary and secondary schools, has limited impact because meals are provided only on weekdays during school terms. The programme should be boosted in the following ways: The Department of Basic Education must deliver adequate nutrition to all children in early learning programmes, all year round. Programmes for school-age children should be extended to ensure that they all receive at least one nutritious meal every day, including on weekends and school holidays. Adequate funding should be given to school food gardens and nutrition education. Moreover, the national school nutrition programme starts too late to address under-5 stunting. It only begins when children enter grade R, aged 5. Read more: Thirdly, interventions are needed in the food system. Prices of essential food items should be regulated, to keep them affordable for low-income South Africans and to encourage shifts in consumption choices towards healthier, more nutritious diets. Positive dietary choices can also be promoted through the use of subsidies, discounts or vouchers on 'best buy' foods, either for all consumers or for shoppers receiving social grants. They could be given vouchers for nutritious food items along with their cash transfers. Food subsidies or vouchers must include foods that are protein-rich (meat, fish, eggs, dairy), since protein is highly inaccessible to the poor. Read more: Government must extend social security protections to seasonal and informal workers during periods of unemployment and underemployment. Seasonal hunger requires specific attention. Seasonal farm workers – most of whom are women – have low incomes, few savings, and limited access to unemployment insurance. They face food insecurity and hunger during the off-season winter months. The government's land redistribution programme should prioritise securing access to land for poor agrarian or peri-urban households, and providing support (water, inputs, extension advice) to farm that land. This would help vulnerable groups which derive most of their food from production. Agrarian households (smallholder farmers, farm workers, farm dwellers) are poorer and more food insecure, especially the female-headed households who survive below the food poverty line. When farm women with food gardens have direct access to fresh vegetables, their dietary diversity improves, and they earn income by selling produce to meet their basic needs. Lastly, steps must be take to reduce loss and waste in the food system. A third of food produced in South Africa, 10 million of 31 million tons, goes to waste each year. This is equivalent to 30 billion meals, in a context where an estimated 20 billion meals would be enough to end hunger. The government has committed to halving food waste by 2030, in its draft food losses and waste strategy of 2023. It must be finalised and operationalised. These interventions would cost money. And the government will argue that it is doing all it can to address hunger with the resources available. There are many options for raising additional resources to address the hunger crisis – as seen when the government found R500 billion (US$33 billion) to address the COVID-19 crisis in 2020. The government should also consider raising additional revenue by introducing a wealth tax targeting high-net-worth individuals. This could be used to increase social grants or subsidise nutritious foods. Read more: Finally, government needs to tackle hunger in a coordinated way. Several government departments, including agriculture, social development and health, address issues related to food security. However, no government ministry focuses specifically on hunger. The president should appoint a minister of food to address the hunger crisis along the lines of the special minister of electricity position established in 2023 to deal with the country's energy supply problem. Read more: At the same time, a national food commission should be established, to monitor and coordinate all initiatives that focus on the goal of eradicating hunger. The government should be guided by the priorities set down by a new coalition – the Union Against Hunger – which is due to be launched on 26 February. The initiative is a coalition of civil society organisations and academics (the authors are among the founding members). It has compiled a list of 10 demands that reflect our analysis of the causes of hunger and recommended solutions. They include realising everyone's constitutional right to food, halving child stunting by 2030 and making nutritious food accessible to all. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Stephen Devereux, Institute of Development Studies; Busiso Moyo, University of the Western Cape, and Mark Heywood, University of Cape Town Read more: How Nutriset, a French company, has helped alleviate hunger and create jobs in some of the world's poorest places Rising house prices don't just make it harder to become a homeowner – they also widen the racial wealth gap South Africa's 'working for water' programme is meant to lead to skills and jobs: why it's failing Stephen Devereux receives funding from the National Research Foundation (NRF). He holds a Research Chair in Social Protection for Food Security, affiliated to the DSI–NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security and the Institute for Social Development at the University of the Western Cape, South Africa. Busiso Moyo previously received funding from the Centre of Excellence in Food Security - UWC and the IDRC-Canada. He is affiliated with the Union Against Hunger (UAH) initiative. Mark Heywood previously headed Section 27, which receives funding and received funding for the Justice and Activism Hub. He is affiliated with the Union Against Hunger initiative.
