SDG 2 is all about ending hunger. This goal isn’t just about making sure everyone has enough food to eat, it’s also about making sure that food is safe and nutritious. Because the food we eat has to come from somewhere, this goal also directs attention to sustainable food production, resilient agriculture and local and global cooperation when it comes to investing in agricultural productivity. Over the past 15 years, the fight to end hunger has come a long way. The prevalence of hunger word wide has declined from 15 per cent in 2002 to 11 per cent in 2016. But, more than 790 million people still don’t have regular access to nutritious food. This has far-reaching effects on people’s health and well-being, making it an important goal to achieve. In Saskatchewan, the weekly cost of a ‘nutritional food basket’ to feed a family of four varies between $200-$400 per week between urban and remote locations. Policy North – Kîwetinohk – Yathe at the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy identifies three As of food insecurity: accessibility, availability, and affordability. Accessibility and availability in rural areas continues to affect affordability. Closing the loop between production, distribution, consumption, and waste, is critical in ending hunger. Thus, the goal of ending world hunger and improving access to nutritious food will be measured by the prevalence of undernourishment, malnutrition and by child growth. As sustainable food production increases, this goal will look at the volume of food production by different kinds of agriculture and the average income of farmers based on their sex and Indigenous status.
- communicate the difference between hunger, food security and malnutrition, and their main physical and psychological effects on human life.
- identify the drivers, causes and distribution of hunger and malnutrition locally, nationally and globally.
- apply the principles of sustainable agriculture and why it is needed to combat hunger and malnutrition.
- collaborate with, encourage and empower others to combat hunger and promote sustainable agriculture.
- evaluate, participate and implement actions personally and locally to combat hunger and promote sustainable agriculture.
For example: Students in Environmental Sciences 401 Sustainability in Action, offered by the School of Environment and Sustainability, took on the challenge of addressing food insecurity at the University of Saskatchewan by providing information about campus resources and food sustainability tips. Their website is an example of an open resource developed by students for their own learning and for the community https://sustainability.usask.ca/programs/food-security.php#
Volunteer at a local food bank. If you’re in the Saskatoon area, you can check out Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre here. Help students find out what local organizations are in need of and how they might help address the needs through creative problem solving.
Discuss an advocacy campaign, such as the Good Soil campaign from the Canadian FoodGrains Bank where students send postcards to the Prime Minister to show support for increased aid for agriculture. They can research and formulate their own thoughts on specific issues. Summarizing these reports in the brief format of a postcard is a useful exercise in persuasive writing.
