This document summarizes the key issues around urbanization and food security discussed in the 2017 Global Food Policy Report. It notes that urbanization is increasing hunger and malnutrition in cities as diets change and the poor face challenges accessing healthy food. Rural-urban linkages are important for development but often broken. The report recommends improving policy coordination between rural and urban areas to enhance linkages and leverage intermediate cities and towns.

1. Shenggen Fan
Director General
International Food Policy Research Institute Washington, D.C. | March 23, 2017

2. Looking back at 2016
A glimmer of hope
• Global extreme poverty and hunger rates declined
• Food prices remained low
• 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Paris
Agreement & ICN2 follow-up began implementation
• Urbanization elevated in global agenda

3. ?
Political changes
Stagnant economic
growth
Rising inequality
Ongoing conflicts
Continued climate and
environmental challenges
Looking forward to 2017
Great uncertainties
Looming famines in
Northern Nigeria, Yemen,
Somalia, South Sudan
Persistent hunger and
malnutrition

4. Regional and national developments
Africa
• Slow, uneven progress in poverty,
hunger, and malnutrition reduction
• Drought in Eastern, Southern Africa
East Asia
• Established ASEAN Risk Assessment
Center for Food Safety
• Resilience-building in response to El Niño
Central Asia
• Growing trend of regional integration &
harmonization in cross-border trade
• Increased Chinese involvement in agriculture
Latin America & Caribbean
• 3.5 million affected by El Niño-related drought
• Rising obesity and consumption of processed
foods
Middle East & North Africa
• Persistent conflict
• Algiers, Dubai, Tunis joined the Milan
Urban Food Policy Pact
South Asia
• Greater diversification toward nutritious &
high-value crops
• New crop-insurance, health protection schemes
for the poor (e.g. India)

5. 2017 GFPR Overview
Urbanization in the spotlight
Rural-Urban
Linkages
Urban Hunger Nutrition
Transition
Value Chains
Informal
Markets
Regional
Developments
Food Policy
Indicators

6. Rapid urbanization
especially in developing countries
Projected urban share
of global population
Urban
67%
20502014
Urban
54%
Growth of urban population in major
developing regions

7. • Burdens of malnutrition are shifting to urban areas
• The urban poor face unique challenges
o Dependence on the informal sector
o Vulnerability to income & price shocks
o Limited access to basic services
• Better data on urban poverty, food insecurity, and malnutrition
are needed
Challenges in urban
hunger and malnutrition

8. • A “nutrition transition” is underway
o Higher consumption of animal-source foods, sugar, fats and oils, refined
grains, & processed foods
• Overweight and obesity & other diet-related diseases are rising
• Urban food environments pose challenges and opportunities
o Easier access to unhealthy diets AND nutritious foods (for those who can
afford them)
Diets are changing with
urbanization

9. • Drivers of change: Increased commercial flows of agricultural
goods, diet transformation, greater role of commercial markets
• “Quiet revolution” in staple-food value chains
o Increased investment in technology & modern inputs
o Greater vertical integration with growing scale of midstream & retail sections
o Rise of mobile phone use by farmers for market information
• Policies should account for growth in post-farmgate segments
and urban markets
Urban growth is reshaping
agricultural value chains

10. • In Africa, where urbanization is most rapid, urban poor rely
heavily on informal markets for accessible, affordable food
• Policies face institutional, administrative, political challenges
o Lack of local mandate for food security
o Lack of policy integration across sectors & ministries
o Political contest over cities can lead to violence
• Governments often focus on control, regulation, or eradication
of urban informal food economy
Governance of informal
markets are key
in African cities

11. • Urban growth creates opportunities for rural producers
• Rural-urban linkages help propel economic development, food
security, and nutrition
• Broken value chains and poor coordination weaken linkages,
hold back progress
Rural-urban linkages are
crucial
for ending hunger and malnutrition

12. Strong links have win-win outcomes
Achieving improved food systems and multiple SDGs
Example of activities enhancing
rural-urban linkages
Benefits
Processing &
storage facilities Reduced food loss Increased food
diversity
Improved coordination
& planning
More labor & market
opportunities for
smallholders
Land use mgmt &
improved food
security
Leverage intermediate
towns & cities
Increased scale of &
access to markets
Improved food
access & quality

13. • Improve policy coordination between rural and urban areas
• Support efficient and inclusive rural-urban value chains
• Leverage towns and intermediate cities to facilitate
economic and social links
• Improve targeting of public investment
• Promote social protection in rural and urban areas
Improving rural-urban
linkages
Recommendations

14. Urbanization presents
opportunities for both
rural and urban areas
to end hunger and
malnutrition