INTRODUCTION


Sustainable Development Goal 2, also known as Zero Hunger, is one of the 17 Goals established by the United Nations in 2015. The main objective of this goal is to end hunger, ensure access to safe and nutritious food for all, and promote sustainable agricultural practices globally.

       Hunger and food insecurity remain critical challenges because in 2024, 8.2% of the global population faced hunger, and nearly 2.3 billion people were moderately or severely food insecure. Malnutrition, including undernutrition, hidden hunger, and over weight, particularly affects children and women, with 144 million children under five stunted and 47 million wasted in 2019. Hunger and Malnutrition reduce productivity, increase susceptibility to disease, and perpetuate cycles of poverty.

It is a big problem in the world because extreme hunger and malnutrition remain a barrier to sustainable development and create a trap from which people cannot easily escape. Hunger and malnutrition mean less productivity in individual, who are highly exposed to diseases and thus unable to earn more and improve their livelihood.
        The rate of Hunger has increased lately due to inflation, the implementation of higher prices on food in many countries has increase in the period of the COVID-19 because many people  were force to stop their activities and when on confinement which made it difficult for some families to provide food and good nutrition. Also, conflict, climate changes, rising cost of living, civil insecurity and declining food production have all contributed to food scarcity and high food prices.
            The SDG 2 focuses on the following;

• Ending hunger and improving access to food
• Eliminating all forms of malnutrition
• Doubling agricultural productivity and incomes
• Ensuring sustainable food production systems
• Maintaining genetic diversity

This means that we must focus on the implementation of technological development, investment in rural infrastructure, agricultural research, and addressing trade restrictions in global agricultural markets.
                 The importance of this goal is ;

• It address global hunger : SDG 2 seek to create a world free of hunger by 2030,addressing a critical humanitarian crisis. As of 2024, approximately 8.2% of the global population faces hunger, with nearly 2.3 billion people experiencing moderate to severe food insecurity.
• Impact on health development : hunger and malnutrition significantly hinder human development. Undernourished individuals are less productive, more prone to disease, and often unable to improve their livelihoods. For example, malnutrition is a leading cause of death among children under five, with nearly 690 million people reported as hungry in 2019.

For this goal to be achieved in the world, food security must be implemented. Social protection to safeguard safe and nutritious food especially for children which will reduce death rate and malnutrition. Also, there will need to be investment in rural areas and urban areas and in social protection so poor people have access to nutritious food and good food and can improve their livelihood.
            As a business management and sustainability student, I think the earlier the goal is implemented the lower the deaths and the hungrier because we all want our families to have enough food to eat and also to safe and nutritious food. A world with zero hunger can positively impact our economies, health, education, equality and social development. It is a key piece of building a future for everyone. With limited human development, we will not be able to achieve other sustainable development goals such as education, health, gender equality.

Conclusion
Hunger is a leading cause of death in the world. Our planet has provided us with tremendous resources, but unequal access and inefficient handling leaves million of people malnourished. Zero Hunger will end all forms of malnutrition in Africa and other countries and also provide poor people and infants with sufficient food.

References
1. The Global Goals
2. https://data.unicef.org/
3. https://www.globalcompactnetwork.org/
4. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/hunger/
5. United Nations (2015) Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 25 September 2015, Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (A/RES/70/1)
6.  "Goal 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture — SDG Indicators". unstats.un.org. Retrieved 2022-06-15.

Written by KOUMEN NKUIDJE SCHEKINA ANGE student at the ICT UNIVERSITY.