Rapid urbanization is occurring globally, with 68% of the world's population projected to live in urban areas by 2050. Urban areas face multiple forms of malnutrition, especially overweight and underweight individuals. Poor diets are the main driver of all forms of malnutrition, and are now the world's biggest killer, responsible for 11 million deaths annually. Improving urban food systems can help address issues of food security, urban agriculture, food environments, obesity, and climate change. IFPRI is focusing research on urban food environments, urban-rural linkages, the informal food sector, supermarkets, and urban agriculture to help develop sustainable urban food systems that promote better diets, nutrition, and health.

1. Urban Food Systems
for Better Diets, Nutrition, and Health
Marie Ruel
IFPRI Policy Seminar, May 17th 2019

2. Rapid urbanization continues 2050
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19801990200020102020203020402050
%urabn
World
Europe
LAC
North America
Africa
Asia
United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2018). World Urbanization Prospects: The 2018 Revision, custom data acquired via
website.
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1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050
billionpeople
Asia and Africa will add (2.8B)
55%
68%
68% will live in urban areas in 2050

3. Multiple forms of malnutrition, esp. in urban areas
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Urban Rural Urban Rural
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Overweight
Van Wesenbeeck et al. 2018
Underweight
West Africa; adults (16 countries)
Income

4. Poor diets are the main driver of all forms
of malnutrition

5. “Death by Diet” (Thin Lei Win, Reuters)
Poor diets are now “the world’s biggest killer”
1 in 5 deaths (11 M) are attributable to 15 dietary factors
GBD 2017 Diet Collaborators, Lancet 2019

6. ➢Resilience
➢Climate change
➢Sustainability
➢Governance
City Initiatives, Networks and Partnerships
➢Food security
➢Urban ag.
➢Food systems
➢Obesity
186 cities

7. Urban Food Systems for Better Diets, Nutrition,
and Health

8. Focus Research Areas
▪ Urban food environments -Jef Leroy
▪ Urban rural linkages -James Thurlow, Olivier Ecker
▪ Informal food sector -Danielle Resnick
▪ Supermarkets -Manuel Hernandez
▪ Urban agriculture - Ephraim Nkonya